President orders raises for superior court judges

The raise will be applicable from July 1, 2010.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday ordered a 50 per cent raise in the salary of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary and his fellow judges effective from July 1, 2010, in addition to a raise of Rs 57,000 in their judicial allowances.

In March this year, the president had approved a 25 per cent raise in the salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts effective from July 1, 2010. The new raise brings the increase in the salaries of the judges in line with the 50 per cent raise in the salaries announced in the budget for government employees and parliamentarians.

According to sources, President Zardari approved the raise on the recommendation of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who had acted upon a proposal moved by Law Minister Dr Babar Awan.

Under the revised pay structure, the Chief Justice of Pakistan would receive a monthly salary of Rs389,757 against his existing Rs259,838. The judicial allowance of the CJP has also been raised to Rs170,625, as against Rs113,750 – a raise of Rs57,000 per month, effective from July 1.

Under the revised salary structure, the CJP would get approximately Rs780,000 in the form of six-months’ worth of arrears, in addition to judicial allowance arrears of about Rs342,000. Thus, he would be entitled to payment of one million as arrears following Thursday’s presidential order.

A judge of the Supreme Court will now be paid a monthly salary of Rs368,186 and Rs170,625 in allowances – which previously stood at Rs245,457 and Rs113,750, respectively. A judge of a provincial high court would now get a monthly salary of Rs347,345 and an allowance of Rs136,500 under the new pay structure.

Under the provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, the president fixes the salary and allowances of the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts through presidential orders.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2010.