The Punjab Assembly on Monday approved an amendment bill significantly increasing the financial perks and privileges of elected officials, including members of the assembly, the speaker, deputy speaker, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, special assistants, and advisers.
The Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives Bill 2024, presented by Minister Mujtaba Shuja and passed by a majority, introduces salary hikes ranging from 426% (for MPAs) to 860% (for ministers). Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar opposed the bill, questioning its alignment with the Parliamentary Laws Act of 1972. However, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, who presided over the session, defended the bill as lawful and a “positive” initiative by the government.
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Under the bill, provincial ministers’ salaries have risen from Rs100,000 to Rs960,000. The speaker’s salary increased from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000, while the deputy speaker will now earn Rs775,000, up from Rs120,000. Parliamentary secretaries will receive Rs451,000 monthly, compared to their previous Rs83,000, and special assistants and advisers to the Chief Minister will earn Rs665,000 instead of Rs100,000. The monthly salary for MPAs has been increased from Rs76,000 to Rs400,000.
For context, the Punjab government recently set the minimum wage at Rs37,000 in its budget.
Law and Order Debate
The assembly also discussed the province’s law and order situation. Minister Mujtaba Shuja reported a 29% drop in the crime rate during 2023-24, with 253 criminals arrested and 88 killed during operations in riverine areas. He emphasized efforts to enhance police capacity through funding for advanced weapons and the expansion of the Safe City project to all districts.
Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar criticized the government for allegedly suppressing his party, the PTI, claiming Punjab had become a “jail” for PTI supporters. He challenged the government to allow the PTI to hold a demonstration to prove its public support. Bhachar argued that forming a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 incidents could have prevented further violence.
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The opposition also staged a protest on the assembly steps, condemning the alleged killing of PTI workers during the Nov. 26 D-Chowk protest in Islamabad.
Solidarity Resolution
The assembly unanimously passed a resolution, presented by treasury MPA Rahila Khadim Hussain, expressing solidarity with the families of the victims of the 2014 APS Peshawar attack. The resolution condemned terrorism, called for strict action against perpetrators, and praised the bravery of the APS teachers who tried to protect their students.