President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated four ordinances on Friday — one of them to increase the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state to match those of National Assembly members (MNAs).

In February, the lower house of the parliament passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 — already approved by the Senate — with a majority vote, increasing the salary of the parliament members.

The National Assembly’s Finance Committee, headed by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, approved the proposed increase of the monthly salary of each MNA and senator to Rs519,000. Previously, lawmakers received a monthly salary of Rs180,000.

“The federal ministers and ministers of state shall receive a monthly salary equivalent to the salary of a member of the National Assembly,” read the ordinance.

The changes were made to the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975.

The ministers’ salaries will now be Rs519,000 per month and equivalent to the MNAs.

Federal ministers were receiving a salary of Rs200,000 per month, and state ministers received Rs180,000 per month, before the change.

In an expansion on February 27, 12 federal ministers and nine ministers of state were sworn in by President Zardari. In addition, three advisers and four special assistants to the prime minister were also inducted.

The size of the federal cabinet doubled, increasing its members from 21 to 43, including 30 federal ministers, nine ministers of state and four advisers. Most of the newly inducted members belong to the ruling PML-N, but leaders from allied parties also secured positions in the cabinet.

The president also promulgated an ordinance to establish the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA). It will take steps to ensure sanitary and phytosanitary measures in relation to imports and exports.

Another ordinance titled the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 was also promulgated to recover pending tax amounts tied up in litigation.

The president further promulgated an ordinance titled the Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.