Gilani distanced himself from over 600pc pay raise
'I was not consulted by anyone in this regard. I have nothing to do with my salary raise,' Gilani told the media, when asked about unprecedented raise in his salary, on the sidelines of the Senate session on Friday.
Asked whether he was going to 'reverse' this raise by returning the increased salary, Gilani replied, 'get it reversed, it would be a good thing to do.'
Federal government as well as the custodians of the two Houses of the Parliament are under massive public criticism following the surfacing of a government notification from last month in which over 600 percent increase in the salaries of the chairman Senate, speaker National Assembly, deputy chairman Senate and deputy speaker NA was notified.
Conspicuously, feeling the heat of public criticism, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif joined the public circles in slamming this raise, terming it 'financial vulgarity,' in a recent post on X.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also appeared 'defensive'— with reports suggesting that the PM 'took notice' of the matter, and ordered an inquiry into massive pay raise and other perks for NA speaker and deputy speaker as well as Senate chairman and deputy chairman.
'I respect the defence minister — but I have nothing to do with the pay raise,' Gilani told reporters on Friday.
Meanwhile, the chairman Senate presided over the Senate session. The House unanimously passed the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2025, moved by Law Minister Azam Tarar. The bill deals with the registration of religious seminaries.
Last December, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced the plan to launch a protest movement to push the government to enact this legislation. Later, he postponed the planned protest reportedly after the government assured him to resolve the matter.
The House also passed a unanimous resolution in condemnation of Israel's attack on Iran.
Moved by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the resolution expressed concern over what it described was inaction of Muslim world against genocide of Palestinians, 'which has now led Israel to attack another sovereign Muslim state Iran.'
'The world and Muslim Ummah are witnessing the slaughter of innocent children and civilians in Gaza for the last two years on an unimaginable scale,' said the resolution.
The House, through its resolution, said it stands resolute with Iranian brethren and supports their right to defend themselves against Israeli aggression.
Earlier, the House commenced discussion on the proposed federal budget in which senators from different political parties participated. The Senate was adjourned till Monday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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