ISLAMABAD: Amid desk-thumping from across the aisles, the National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously voted for amendments to increase the salaries of parliamentarians, including the chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate, and speaker and deputy speaker of the lower house.

As per the amendments that were incorporated into The Finance Bill 2016 and passed by the house at the eleventh hour, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar informed his gleeful colleagues that the government would now simply be able to notify the increase, whose amount would be finalised upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return from London.

According to the finance minister, the last-minute amendments regarding salaries had only been possible due to across-the-board support from all political parties in the house. At the fag end of a gruelling National Assembly session, frantic discussions between ministers and opposition front-benchers were visible from the press gallery. Later, it emerged that the efforts were meant to give shape to their salary increase packages.

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have been pushing for an upward increase in their monthly emoluments for quite some time now, asking that their salaries should be at par with government officers in grade 22.

Amendment to Finance Bill approved by all parties; amount of raise to be finalised by PM

In May this year, members of the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges had recommended that the salaries of members of parliament should be brought at par with the maximum remuneration given to a federal secretary in grade 22, as well as enhancing the allowances and medical facilities available to them.

The committee also approved two draft bills seeking to amend the Chairman and the Speaker (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act 1975, and the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act 1974.

Under the proposed amendments, lawmakers had asked that their current salaries be raised from around Rs36,000 to Rs200,000 – an increase of 450pc – along with a sizeable increase in their travel allowances and an increase in the amount of business class air tickets available to them and their family members.

However, the committee’s report attracted flak, particularly from the media, on the grounds that legislators had no call to demand such a salary package. Responding to criticism the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) had publicly issued a statement declaring that the party rejected the proposed increase in legislators’ salaries.

But on Wednesday, even though PTI chief whip Dr Shireen Mazari was in the house at the time, the party didn’t oppose when the government announced amendments empowering itself to increase salaries through a simple notification.

Talking to Dawn after the session, Dr Mazari admitted that lots of PTI lawmakers had signed the amendments for an increase in their salaries as there was a general feeling that the pay scales needed to be rationalised.

When reminded about her party’s policy in the past, Dr Mazari said, “I think it was the timing and the sheer increase that was earlier proposed which was opposed by the PTI leadership. But as far as rationalisation of the salary structure is concerned, I agree that it needs revision at par with what bureaucrats get.”

However, she clarified, “I am not one of those who signed the proposal when Law Minister Zahid Hamid was getting lawmakers’ consent.”

Dr Arif Alvi, who was not in the house at the time the amendment was passed, reiterated that the party had earlier rejected a proposal to increase lawmakers’ salaries, insisting that this was still the party’s stance. “I am personally opposed to the move,” he maintained.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2016