ISLAMABAD: In a move that has raised eyebrows, the government has approved over fivefold increase in the salaries of Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker taking it to Rs1.3 million a month.

A May 29 notification reveals that the Senate chairman and NA speaker’s salaries have been raised from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3m, besides 50pc of the revised salary (Rs650,000) as the sumptuary allowance.

The hike, with retrospective effect, has become effective in January 2025.

A senior NA Secretariat official, while confirming the development, said the raise for the two offices had been made for the first time since January 2016.

Move draws criticism from within ruling PML-N; ANP demands its reversal

In March, the salaries and allowances of federal cabinet members had been increased by up to 188pc.

Earlier, the finance comm­ittees of the two houses of parliament had approved an increase in the salaries of MNAs and senators, raising it to Rs519,000.

Senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique slammed the pay raise for the Senate chairman and the NA speaker, calling it “incomprehensible” and lacking moral justification.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Rafique said: “A sudden increase of many times in the salaries of the Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly and a 50 percent increase in allowance is an incomprehensible move.”

PML-N’s Additional Secretary Information Zahid Khan expressed dismay at the decision and demanded its immediate withdrawal. He pointed out that while the government seeks assistance from IMF, it was simultaneously boosting the perks and privileges of top office-holders. He urged the NA speaker and the Senate chairman to refuse the salary hike. “They must lead by example and reject these additional benefits,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ANP also condemned the government for approving the increase in the salaries of high-ranking officials, labelling the move as “rubbing salt into the wounds of people” amid severe economic crisis. The party demanded reversal of the massive hike in the salaries.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2025