Retiring CJP's special gift for SC employees

ISLAMABAD: Outgoing Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday allowed all employees of the Supreme Court of Pakistan special allowance equal to three times initial basic pay of the pay scale 2017.

A notification issued by the Supreme Court on January 16, 2019, a day before Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s retirement, announced this special raise in the salary of all the employees from BS-1-22 of the Supreme Court. The raise will be applicable with effect from January 1, 2019.

The notification unfreezes for the Supreme Court employees the special allowance which was admissible equal to three-time initial pay of the pay scale 2008. However, for other categories of government servants, including those serving in armed forces, FBR. Presidency, Prime Minister’s Secretariat, FIA, IB etc. such allowances will remain frozen to pay scales of 2008 and 2011.

An official source said that what the Supreme Court has allowed to its employees on Wednesday is already enjoyed by the employees of high courts. Now employees of other departments will also be expecting the same treatment.

According to the notification: “In pursuance of Finance Division’s U.O.No.5(1)-R-3/2018 dated 29.06.2018, in response to this court’s letter of even number dated 06.06.2018, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan, having exercised powers in terms of Finance Division’s (Expenditure Wing) O.M.No.F.1(5)R.12/81 dated 24th November 1993 read with Rule 4 of the Supreme Court Establishment Service Rules, 2015, has been pleased to unfreeze special judicial allowance which was admissible equal to three times initial basic pay of the pay scale 2008 to the employees (BPS 1-22) of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and allowed them to draw the revised special judicial allowance with effect from 01.01.2019 equal to three times initial basic pay of the pay scale 2017.

2. The same allowance shall stand frozen at the Basic Pay Scale of 2017 till further orders and expenditure will be met from within the sanctioned budget grant of this court.

3. This issues with the approval of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan.”

According to a source, this raise may be applicable to the employees of Law and Justice Commission in line with a previous notification issued with the approval of the prime minister. It is said that the said notification allows perks and privileges of employees of the commission at par with the employees of the Supreme Court.

An official source working in the Federal Secretariat said that the salaries of employees of the Supreme Court are already better as compared to those of other government servants. After the latest raise, the government servants of other departments will be hopeful for such a favourable treatment to them.