Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday separately voiced ignorance about the hefty hike in their salaries, as well as those of the deputy speaker and deputy chairman, maintaining they were not consulted prior to their approval.
Earlier this week, the federal cabinet approved a massive increase to the salaries of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker, raising it to Rs. 1.3 million/month from the previous Rs. 205,000/month. Additionally, a sumptuary allowance of Rs. 650,000 was approved for both with retrospective effect from Jan. 1, 2025.
The decision triggered controversy and criticism, especially as the government has failed to provide any significant benefit to salaried individuals in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif even took to X to condemn the salary hikes, urging the lawmakers to keep in mind the plight of the common man before seeking benefits for themselves.
While Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has defended the hikes as “long overdue,” the controversy prompted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take notice of the decision. He has sought clarity on the reasons behind the raise, but it remains unclear if the decision will persist or be reversed in the face of public backlash.
“I have full respect for the defense minister. I have nothing to do with my salary increase,” Gilani told reporters at the Senate when questioned about Asif’s condemnation of the decision. He maintained that it was the government’s prerogative to decide on the raise, while refusing to commit to rejecting the hike if it is sustained. “I didn’t say about withdrawing. I have no connection with it,” he said, emphasizing he was not consulted about the hike.
Similarly, Sadiq said in the National Assembly that neither he nor the finance committee of the House had any role in the decision. He said he would have no objection to the decision’s withdrawal.
“Neither the finance committee [of the house] nor the National Assembly has made this decision,” he claimed. “Those who have done so, they can do so,” he said, adding the people who had made the decision on the salaries could withdraw it if they chose. “There is no harm, if it [the raise] is withdrawn,” he said, while suggesting the government lacked the authority to do so, as the house finance committee made the decision.
Government stance
Amidst the controversy, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has told the House that the decision could be reviewed, and potentially even withdrawn, in light of the “somewhat justified” criticism. Admitting that his ministry had prepared the summary for the salary hike, approved by the federal cabinet, he clarified it had no “significant” financial impact. However, he said, the government was willing to reverse it in view of the public’s sentiments regarding the flawed “messaging.”