Pakistan Parliamentarians Approve Major Salary Hike Amid Economic Struggles

Pakistan's National Assembly has passed a bill, increasing parliamentarians' salaries by 138%, aligning them with federal secretaries' pay. Introduced by PML-N's Romina Khurshid Alam, it awaits presidential approval. Despite the economic crisis, the bill faced no opposition in parliament.

In a move that has raised eyebrows, Pakistan's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a substantial salary increase for its members, more than doubling their monthly remunerations from PKR 218,000 to PKR 519,000. The amendment, introduced by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Romina Khurshid Alam, sailed through the assembly with a clear majority.

The bill, which raises parliamentarians' salaries by an eye-popping 138%, now aligns their salaries with those of federal secretaries. Having already cleared the Senate, it now only awaits the president's signature before becoming law.

What is particularly noteworthy is the absence of dissent from opposition lawmakers, including those from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, as well as treasury members, despite Pakistan navigating a challenging economic landscape. The bill's journey began with the National Assembly's finance committee, which approved it under the leadership of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on January 26.