Pakistani Cabinet declines to increase parliamentarians’ salaries. A proposal for a 10% rise in the basic salary of lawmakers, including members of the National Assembly, Speaker of the Assembly, Senate Chairman, and their deputies, was rejected by Pakistan’s federal cabinet.
Prime Minister Imran Khan presided over the cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, which was called a special session to discuss the pay rise in light of the prime minister’s austerity measures aimed at cutting government spending.
The decision to reject the planned 10% increase in parliamentary pay, according to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, was in accordance with the prime minister’s austerity agenda, which he said has been in effect since day one. “Considering the current economic circumstances, the cabinet opined that it was a breach of this concept of austerity,” Chaudhry added.
The parliamentary affairs ministry has proposed a formal summary for a 10% rise in members of parliament’s salary, but Fawad Chaudhary claimed that “the ministers have previously rejected pay increases for the cabinet.”
The administration suggested raising the Senate chairman’s and National Assembly speaker’s monthly salaries from Rs205,000 to Rs225,500. The remuneration of the Senate deputy chairman and National Assembly deputy speaker would be increased from Rs185,000 to Rs203,500. According to local media, parliament members’ wages were suggested to be hiked from Rs150,000 to Rs165,000.
The administration proposed boosting the monthly salary of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker from Rs205,000 to Rs225,500. The Senate deputy chairman and the National Assembly deputy speaker’s salaries would be raised from Rs185,000 to Rs203,500. Parliamentarians’ salaries have been recommended to be increased from Rs150,000 to Rs165,000, according to local media.
