A Senate panel has issued a one-week ultimatum to Pakistan's accountant general to clear special honorariums worth five months' salary for upper house employees, escalating a long-running tussle over who controls parliamentary finances. The demand, made during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, pits legislative privilege against bureaucratic caution. Main Developments Presiding over the July 16 session, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla directed the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) to process the honorarium payments within a week. He warned that failure to comply would trigger a privilege motion against the office for disobedience. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and AGPR officials remained non-committal, insisting they needed a legal opinion before releasing the funds. The Senate panel countered that the upper house enjoys financial autonomy in determining its own financial matters. Read also: Why Pakistan's capital markets hold the key to economic revival The dispute extends beyond parliament. A separate list of Planning Commission employees eligible for similar annual honorariums has created friction between political and bureaucratic leadership within that ministry. Background These annual honorariums—equivalent to five to six months' salary on top of regular pay—are awarded each year at the time of the federal budget. Originally confined to the ministries of finance, revenue, and planning, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Federal Board of Revenue, the list of beneficiaries has steadily expanded over the years to include staff of both houses of parliament. At the same meeting, the committee also discussed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). Finance Minister Aurangzeb informed the panel that the government is digitising all BISP payments to improve transparency, efficiency, and service delivery. BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid told the committee that the programme lacks its own permanent operational workforce and relies on officers serving on deputation. She noted that while digital payments are already being made through banking channels, BISP needs dedicated operational staff to manage its growing responsibilities. Why It Matters The standoff over honorariums tests the boundaries of parliamentary financial autonomy against executive branch oversight. If the AGPR yields, it could set a precedent for other legislative bodies to demand similar payments without treasury approval. If it resists, it risks a constitutional confrontation that could disrupt budget-related benefits for hundreds of government employees. For BISP, the push for digitisation and a permanent workforce reflects the programme's expansion under growing social protection demands. Without adequate staffing, the shift to digital payments may not achieve the efficiency gains the government promises. What's Next The AGPR faces a one-week deadline to either make the honorarium payments to Senate employees or face a privilege motion in the upper house. The finance ministry's legal opinion, once obtained, will likely determine whether the standoff escalates or is resolved. Separately, the Planning Commission's internal rift over its own honorarium list remains unresolved, and the BISP chairperson's call for permanent operational staff has been noted but no timeline for action was announced.