NA greenlights MPs' pay hike amid protest

Opposition points finger at ex-army chief over EVM

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly, despite fierce protests from PTI lawmakers, on Tuesday passed a bill increasing salaries and perks for parliamentarians through a majority vote.

The National Assembly's Finance Committee, led by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, approved the proposed raise in the monthly salary of each MNA and senator to Rs519,000. Previously, lawmakers were receiving Rs180,000 per month.

The legislation, which aims to amend the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974 [The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2025], has already been approved by the Senate.

Earlier, the session descended into chaos as PTI lawmakers staged a vociferous protest, chanting slogans, creating a ruckus and pointing out quorum issues, ultimately forcing an adjournment before the agenda could be completed.

NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan seized his long-awaited opportunity to raise a point of order, blasting the government over alleged political victimisation of the opposition.

Ayub accused former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa of intentionally preventing the introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections, arguing that their presence would have made it impossible to manipulate results in favour of the current government.

Addressing delays in forming a parliamentary committee for the appointment of the chief election commissioner, NA Speaker Sadiq clarified that letters had already been dispatched to both the government and opposition parties. The committee, he assured, would be constituted as soon as nominations were received.

However, he took exception to the remarks from an Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge questioning parliament's effectiveness, warning that such statements were an outright assault on the institution's authority.

"No one has the right to undermine the dignity of parliament," he asserted, vowing that the sanctity of the legislature would not be compromised under any circumstances.

His strong rebuke came in response to judicial remarks regarding the roles of the judiciary, executive and legislature.

NA Speaker Sadiq asserted that while the judiciary and executive were pillars of the state, dismissive statements about parliament's relevance are unacceptable.

"We will not tolerate any attacks on the credibility of this institution," he said, defending the supremacy of the legislature.

The already heated session boiled over when Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar rose to respond to the opposition leader's accusations.

PTI lawmakers immediately erupted in protest, standing on their seats, pounding desks and tearing up copies of the agenda before hurling them across the chamber.

In response to their chants branding the assembly a "fake parliament," Tarar shot back, saying, "If you call it fake, put it in writing and stop taking salaries from it".

Despite the uproar, Romina Khurshid Alam, PM's coordinator on Climate Change, managed to present the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 which was swiftly passed by a majority.