ISLAMABAD: The Senate has approved the Parliamentarians’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, which will increase the salaries and perks of lawmakers.
Despite some opposition, the bill was passed by a majority vote after a formal vote was conducted to address concerns from dissenting members.
The bill, introduced by Senator Danesh Kumar, was passed unanimously, though Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan ordered the names of dissenting members to be recorded, signalling the contentious nature of the decision.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the salary hike, urging lawmakers to avoid politicising the issue. He suggested that members unwilling to accept the raise should submit a written declaration and pointed out that similar measures had been implemented at the provincial level.
His remarks led to loud protests from the opposition, prompting an intervention by the Deputy Chairman to restore order in the Senate.
In addition to the salary bill, other legislative matters faced mixed outcomes. The Income Tax Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2025, presented by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, was opposed by Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik.
The State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2023, introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz, sparked a debate, with Aziz insisting on its discussion in the Senate instead of being referred to a committee.
Other bills, such as the Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill 2025, were postponed due to the absence of Senator Farooq H Naek, while the University of Business Sciences & Technology Bill 2025 was referred to the relevant standing committee.
