Raking in the moolah: How much does a senator make?

From travel allowances to phone bills, we've got it all covered here

A basic salary. A housing allowance. Another for office maintenance. Interested in learning how much a senator makes? The Express Tribune cuts through the figure clutter to do just that.

A senator receives a sumptuary allowance for daily expenditures. The allowance is free of income tax. A travelling allowance is allotted for every journey performed for attending a session, committee meeting or attending to any other business connected with a senator's duties as a member from his usual residence to the destination. 

A housing allowance is paid to every member. Senators are also entitled to a telephone allowance where facilities for installation are available. Members also  receive an office maintenance allowance.

Chairman 

The Senate chairman is allotted salaries based on The chairman (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975. The chairman’s gross pay is Rs123,676. This can be broken down into basic pay, sumptuary allowance, adhoc relief and allowances. A number of deductions bring gross pay down to Rs116,674.

Besides a gross salary, the chairman is entitled to enviable perks. These include an equipment allowance, allowances on taking and leaving office (this includes traveling expenses for self and family, personal servants and transporting household articles when taking or leaving office). The chairman is also entitled to the use of an official car maintained at government expense and an official residence without payment of rent over his tenure. A residential telephone at government expense is also provided along with travelling allowance for journeys within Pakistan on official business.



Deputy chairman

The deputy senate chairman is allotted salaries based on The Dy. Chairman (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975. The deputy chairman’s gross pay is Rs232,976 which can be broken down into basic pay, sumptuary allowance, house rent allowance, adhoc relief and allowances.



Standing committee chairmen 

Standing Committee chairmen are allotted salaries based on The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974 & The Federal Services Medical Attendance Rules, 1990. Senators chairing standing committees are entitled to salaries on both accounts. The gross pay of a standing committee chairman is Rs89,502.

Standing Committee chairmen are entitled to facilities such as a staff car, a private secretary, a stenographer, a driver and a naib qasid.  Moreover, they also receive travel vouchers of the value or Rs300,000 per year or Rs90,000 cash in lieu of travel vouchers. Twenty business class open return air tickets are also provided. Free office accommodation with necessary furniture and equipment is also provided.



Leader of the house 

The leader of the house makes Rs 245,440 as gross salary. A number of deductions bring the pay down to Rs235,826.



Leader of the opposition 

The leader of the opposition is paid Rs254,467 in gross pay. Following Rs28,102 in deductions, the figure comes down to Rs217,365.



Members 

Senators are alloted salaries based on the The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowance) Act, 1974 and The Federal Services Medical Attendance Rules, 1990. Senators are paid a basic salary of Rs 27,377 excluding allowances. These include  Rs5,000 sumptuary allowance Rs 8,000 for office maintenance, Rs 10,000 telephone allowance, adhoc relief (2010) Rs11,903, 15% adhoc in (2011) 3,571, 20% adhoc relief (2012) Rs 5,475, 10% adhoc relief (2013) Rs 2,738, 10% adhoc Relief (2014) Rs 2,738. Total salary: Rs76,802.

Travel allowance include vouchers of the value of Rs 300,000 per year or Rs90,000 cash in lieu per year. Senators also allotted twenty business class open return air tickets per year. Daily allowance, conveyance allowance and housing allowance for attending a session or committee meeting at the following rates per day for the period of residence on duty (stay at place where session or committee meeting is held); ordinary daily allowance is Rs 1,750. Special daily allowance  is Rs3,000, conveyance allowance is Rs 2,000 and housing allowance is Rs2,000. Senators are also eligible for free medical.



The aforementioned data has been extracted from senate.gov.pk and was updated last in 2014.