ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved a significant increase in salaries and allowances for federal cabinet members, including federal ministers, ministers of state, and advisors, according to official sources.
The decision was made through a circulation summary, bypassing a formal cabinet meeting.
Under the amended Federal Ministers and Ministers of State Allowance and Salaries Act of 1975, the monthly salary of a federal minister will now be Rs 519,000, up from Rs 200,000.
Similarly, the salary for a minister of state and an advisor to the prime minister has been raised to Rs 519,000, marking a 159% increase for federal ministers and a 188% increase for ministers of state and advisors.
The salary adjustments, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Jan. 31, 2025, were implemented retroactively from Jan. 1, 2025. Following the approval, parliament members received Rs 519,000 in their accounts.
However, the salaries of the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and the Deputy Speaker remain unchanged at Rs 218,000, as the Finance Committee lacks the authority to adjust their pay.
On Jan. 25, 2025, the National Assembly’s Finance Committee unanimously approved a proposal to align the salaries and benefits of parliament members with those of federal secretaries.
The move came after 67 members of parliament from various parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), demanded a salary increase.
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The decision has sparked debate, with critics questioning the timing and scale of the raises amid ongoing economic challenges in the country.
Supporters, however, argue that the adjustments are necessary to align parliamentary salaries with the responsibilities of the roles.
