India-Pakistan Tension: People Suffer While Government Hikes Ministers' Salaries by 188%

International News:  After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, tensions between India and Pakistan are at their peak. India is taking every possible step to bring the terrorists' shelterers to justice. But on the other hand, the Pakistani government is busy filling its pockets. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Union Ministers and State Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Amendment Ordinance, 2025. This has increased the monthly salary of central and state ministers by up to 188%. This report has been published by Pakistan's Geo News.

Pakistani MPs' Salary Hike Officially Approved by President

Earlier this year, the salary of Pakistani Members of Parliament (MPs) was significantly increased. Following this, on March 21, the Union Cabinet introduced an ordinance to further boost the salaries and allowances of its members. The amendment to the Union Minister and Minister of State (Allowances and Salaries) Act, 1975 was a major step in this regard, providing a considerable salary raise for the lawmakers. This move, which has sparked mixed reactions, was officially approved by the President, making it a formal and binding change. The hike in salaries comes at a time when economic challenges persist in Pakistan, with many citizens struggling with inflation and rising costs of living. The salary increase for MPs, however, has been defended by the government, citing the need for fair compensation for lawmakers. This decision has been a subject of debate in the public domain, with calls for a more equitable distribution of national resources.

MPs' Salary Increased by 138% with Full Unanimous Approval

In February, when the Parliament passed the Members of Parliament Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 by a majority, this led to a 138% increase in the salary of MPs. The bill proposes raising MPs' salaries from Rs 218,000 to Rs 519,000. The remarkable aspect is that all political parties came together for this change, with no opposition. Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MLA Romina Khurshid Alam introduced the bill, and neither the opposition nor treasury MPs raised objections to the substantial salary increase. On January 26, the Finance Committee of the National Assembly approved the bill in a meeting chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.