A proposal has been submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommending that the salaries and benefits of lawmakers be aligned with those of a federal secretary.

Sources indicate that the National Assembly’s finance committee approved the proposal, which was subsequently forwarded to the prime minister by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

The proposal suggests setting the monthly salary and allowances of MNAs and senators at Rs519,000, which matches the current salary and allowances of a federal secretary after deductions.

Earlier proposals to raise the salaries to Rs1 million were rejected by Speaker Sadiq. However, this new proposal has gained support from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and other political parties, citing the need for parity between lawmakers and senior federal officials.

In addition, 67 opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have also submitted written requests for a salary increase. The finance committee has also recommended extending the benefits and facilities enjoyed by federal secretaries to parliamentarians.

At present, the monthly salary and benefits of lawmakers amount to Rs218,000. Meanwhile, in December, the Punjab Assembly passed a bill significantly raising the salaries of public representatives, with the majority vote in favor.

The bill, introduced by Punjab’s Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, raised the salary of MPAs from Rs76,000 to Rs400,000. Salaries for provincial ministers were increased from Rs180,000 to Rs960,000, while the speaker’s salary was raised from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000.

The deputy speaker’s salary was proposed to increase from Rs120,000 to Rs775,000, and parliamentary secretaries were set to earn Rs451,000, up from Rs83,000. Additionally, the salaries of special assistants and advisers were raised to Rs665,000 from Rs100,000.