ATRA questioned over payment of hefty salaries to executives

First Deputy Chairman of the Afghan Senate Mohammad Alam Ezidyar on Sunday lashed out about hefty salaries being paid to Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (ATRA) executives stating its chief receives a salary of around 700,000 AFN a month.

He also stated that board members of the organization get paid about 300,000 AFN a month.

Ezidyar said such hefty salaries for ATRA employees was against the law.

“Advisors and employees at the ATRA office have been appointed with high salaries, which is a violation of the law. The members of the board of directors of ATRA are being paid up to 315,000 AFN,” Ezidyar said.

“According to which policies are these privileges being implemented, and the head of ATRA is being paid 675,000 AFN?” he asked.

The head of ATRA Umar Mansour Ansari, who was summoned to the Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) to brief Senators on the 10 percent tax on mobile phone cards, stated money for salaries is from revenue generated by the organization.

In defense of the issue, Ansari said the authority did not get government funding and that it generated and used its own revenue.

“ATRA is a non-budgetary organization and we have not received any funding, and ATRA collects its own revenue and finances its own expenses, and the organization is independent,” Ansari said.