ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: President Asif Ali Zardari, on the advice of the prime minister, has approved a 20 per cent increase in the salaries as well as Superior Court Judicial Allowance of the judges of the superior courts with effect from July 1 last year.

According to a presidential order, the salary of the chief justice of Pakistan has been increased from Rs448,221 per month to Rs537,865 and that of the judges of the Supreme Court from Rs423,414 to Rs508,097. Their judicial allowance has been increased from Rs196,219 to Rs235,463.

The salary of the chief justices of high courts has been increased from Rs425,426 to Rs498,509 and of other high court judges from Rs399,447 to Rs479,336.

The salary and the allowance had earlier been enhanced by 50 per cent with effect from July 1, 2010, when this relief was allowed to civil servants.

The civil servants were granted an ad hoc relief allowance of 15 per cent of their basic pay from July 1, 2011. Accordingly, the salary and allowance of the judges of the superior courts were also enhanced by 15 per cent.

The government granted another ad hoc relief allowance of 20 per cent of the basic pay to all civil employees and those of the armed forces with effect from July last year. However, this relief had not been extended to the judges at that time.