A group of senators will table a bill in the senate on Monday, seeking an increase of 100 per cent in the lawmakers' salaries and other perks, despite alarming economic situation in the country.
According to Dawn newspaper, the draft Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill is expected to be tabled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief whip in the Senate Sajjad Toori, Dr Ashfaq Qamar, Dilawar Khan and other members. The bill seeks to increase the salaries of parliament members from Rs150,000 to Rs300,000.
The bill also seeks to increase the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker's salary from the present Rs225,000 to Rs879,000 — to match the salaries of Supreme Court judges. It also calls for an increase in the salaries of the Senate deputy chairman and National Assembly deputy speaker to match those of Islamabad High Court judges.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Sherry Rehman has already made it clear that her party will not support the bill. "We already clarified our stance in the Business Advisory Committee," the senator said.
However, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday, while talking about this bill has said, “if a member of the party is bringing up such a bill, they are doing it as an individual and the party does not support such measures." She further said the party is united towards implementing the prime minister's austerity drive.
This story was edited on February 1, 11:00pm.
According to Dawn newspaper, the draft Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill is expected to be tabled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief whip in the Senate Sajjad Toori, Dr Ashfaq Qamar, Dilawar Khan and other members. The bill seeks to increase the salaries of parliament members from Rs150,000 to Rs300,000.
The bill also seeks to increase the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker's salary from the present Rs225,000 to Rs879,000 — to match the salaries of Supreme Court judges. It also calls for an increase in the salaries of the Senate deputy chairman and National Assembly deputy speaker to match those of Islamabad High Court judges.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Sherry Rehman has already made it clear that her party will not support the bill. "We already clarified our stance in the Business Advisory Committee," the senator said.
However, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday, while talking about this bill has said, “if a member of the party is bringing up such a bill, they are doing it as an individual and the party does not support such measures." She further said the party is united towards implementing the prime minister's austerity drive.
This story was edited on February 1, 11:00pm.