Sindh parliamentary committee approves Rs300,000 hike in MPAs’ salaries

KARACHI: A special parliamentary committee on Wednesday approved a substantial hike in the salaries of Sindh Assembly members (MPAs), increasing their monthly pay from Rs160,000 to more than Rs450,000, ARY News reported, citing sources.

The provincial parliamentary meeting, chaired by Speaker Awais Qadir Shah, was attended by Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, opposition leader MQM-P’s Ali Khurshidi, and other lawmakers.

The committee approved the bill to hike the salaries of Sindh lawmakers by Rs300,000 after reviewing the salaries of legislators from other provinces.

Sources said that the bill will soon be tabled in the Sindh Assembly for final approval.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s MPA Muhammad Farooq remained the sole lawmaker to oppose the move, arguing that the economic situation does not allow such a sharp increase.

“Inflation is not only affecting lawmakers, but ordinary citizens are suffering more. The people who sent us to the assembly have seen only a 10 percent increase in their wages in the budget, while we are approving a 180 percent increase for ourselves,” he said in his argument against the move.