Latest news with #Rs1.3m
Express Tribune
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
MPs decry 'unlivable' Parliament Lodges
Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, found himself in an uncomfortable and difficult position on Friday as several senators expressed strong frustration over the deteriorating condition of the Parliament Lodges during a meeting of the Senate House Committee. Lawmakers, visibly upset, raised multiple complaints with the minister, criticising the appalling state of infrastructure, lack of maintenance, and overall mismanagement at the lodges. Chaudhry too voiced his concerns, saying, "I'm personally troubled by a female parliamentarian living upstairs who has installed water taps in the stairwell. Someone, please have those taps removed." It was disclosed during the meeting that not even a single light bulb has been replaced in two years, while a former female senator left Parliament Lodges without paying Rs1.7 million in outstanding electricity and gas bills. The Senate House Committee meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan Nasar. During the session, Minister Talal Chaudhry responded to senators' questions. Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials briefed the committee, stating they had received 48 requests from parliamentarians for repairs, AC installations, and other work at the lodges, claiming work is underway and being carried out in line with PPRA rules. They added that 12-13 suites have been made habitable. However, Senator Kamil Ali Agha rejected the CDA's presentation, calling it "completely false." He alleged that no actual work is being done. Chairman Nasir said that action would be taken against those who haven't completed work in the past 16 months. Senator Poonjo Mal Bheel too complained that the sanitation system in Parliament Lodges is practically nonexistent, with visible filth everywhere. While the CDA DG is polite, he said, their performance is "zero." Minister Talal Chaudhry added that the Interior Minister has already suggested to the National Assembly Speaker that if CDA cannot do the job, the responsibility should be handed over to another agency. Work on 104 lodges is about to begin, and if funds are released, it will be completed in six months. "Contractors haven't been paid in two years. Following the Speaker's instructions, all senators' lodges will be repaired simultaneously. The tender for 104 lodges will be issued within two days, and lodges must be vacated for four months to carry out the work," he said. Senator Khalil Tahir Sindhu raised another concern, stating that his lodge was given to a fellow female senator at the request of the Deputy Chairman. She vacated the premises overnight without paying utility bills worth Rs1.7m — Rs1.3m for electricity and Rs470,000 for gas. "I can't pay this bill," he added. Chairman Nasir responded that she is the daughter of a former Deputy Chairman of the Senate and that he personally asked her to clear the dues.
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
NA secretariat denies role in speaker's salary hike
The Spokesperson of the National Assembly Secretariat on Thursday clarified that neither the speaker's office nor the National Assembly Secretariat had any role in the salary increase of the Speaker. In a move that has raised eyebrows, the government had approved over fivefold increase in the salaries of Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker, taking it to Rs1.3 million a month. According to a notification dated May 29, the Senate chairman and NA speaker's salaries have been raised from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3m, besides 50pc of the revised salary (Rs650,000) as the sumptuary allowance. The hike, with retrospective effect, has become effective in January 2025. Addressing the matter, the spokesperson said the summary for the salary hike was prepared by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The summary was then forwarded by the ministry and approved by the federal cabinet.
Express Tribune
14-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sadiq, Gilani deny role in salary hike
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday clarified he had no role in the phenomenal raise in the salaries of the custodians of the upper and lower house of parliament, and that those who had given that raise could also withdraw it. Sadiq was responding to a comment of the leader of opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, who during the budget session on Friday, said the government speaks of austerity but is committing "financial obscenity". The phrase — financial obscenity — was earlier used by the defense minister, Khawaja Asif, to describe a 500% raise in the salaries of the NA speaker and deputy speaker and the Senate chairman and deputy chairman. A report citing sources had claimed that Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, who belongs to the PPP, presided over a meeting of the House Finance Committee a few months back to approve the raise in his own salary as well as that of the deputy chairman, Sardar Syedaal Khan Nasar of the PML-N It also claimed that NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of the PML-N chaired a similar meeting of the NA's House Finance Committee to "quietly" greenlight a raise in his own salary and that of the NA deputy speaker, a post held by PPP's Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah. Responding to Omar's comment on Friday, Ayaz Sadiq said that neither the finance committees nor they themselves raised their salaries. "Those who have raised our salaries can also withdraw that raise. Any increment in our salary can be reversed by the government if it wishes," he added. Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday also reportedly distanced himself from the massive hike in the salaries of senior parliamentarians including himself, saying he was not consulted before the raise was approved. A May 29 notification revealed that the Senate chairman and NA speaker's salaries had been raised from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3m, besides 50% of the revised salary (Rs650,000) as the sumptuary allowance. The hike took effect from January 2025.
