Sarwar signs bill to raise MPAs’ perks, privileges

LAHORE: The Punjab governor has signed a bill related to the increase in perks, privileges and salaries of Punjab Assembly members.

The Punjab Assembly passed the bill in March this year that called for increasing the salaries of PA legislators who were drawing lesser monthly pay as compared to the MPAs of other provincial assemblies. The Punjab government was under immense pressure from its MPAs who had been pressing it to increase the salaries of legislators or to bring them at least on a par with the salaries drawn by the MPAs of Sindh and Balochistan Assemblies.

Moreover, the MPAs who are part of the Punjab cabinet including ministers, advisors and special assistants will receive the salaries as cabinet members, not as MPAs. In different PA sessions after the passage of the bill, the MPAs from the ruling side had urged the Law Minister to inform the House about the progress on legislation made by the assembly in this regard. Finally, the bill has been signed by the governor which means that process of legislation is completed now.

According to Shahbaz Gill, the spokesman of the chief minister Punjab, the MPAs are still drawing lesser salaries than drawn by the MPAs of Balochistan. The MPAs who are part of the Punjab cabinet including ministers, advisors, special assistants will receive the salaries as cabinet members, not as MPAs.