Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president of Kazakhstan, has sacked the head of the state telephone company who is accused of drawing an excessive salary. The president also threatened to take legal action against other overpaid leaders of government-owned companies.

At a televised meeting of the country's security council, Mr Nazarbayev said Kairat Karibzhanov, head of Kazakhtelekom, had drawn more than $2.86m in salary and bonuses last year. "Fire the president of Kazakhtelekom immediately. He has no moral right to work," Mr Nazarbayev said. The average annual wage in the central Asian state is $3,840.