Pakistani lawmakers' salaries and perks: How much do they really earn?

The earnings and perks of Pakistan’s members of parliament are often a topic of curiosity and debate, especially given the country’s economic challenges and frequent budget constraints.

Documents reviewed by Nukta from the National Assembly and Senate Secretariat, paired with the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Amendment Bill 2024, shed light on the comprehensive compensation package for lawmakers.

An average MNA or Senator in Pakistan earns a gross monthly salary of PKR 188,000. This figure includes a base salary of PKR 150,000, an office maintenance allowance of PKR 8,000, a telephone allowance of PKR 10,000, personal expenses amounting to PKR 5,000, and a 17% ad-hoc relief allowance introduced in the 2017 budget, equating to PKR 17,000. However, a monthly tax deduction of PKR 16,167 is made by the government.

If an MNA serves as the chair of a standing committee, their monthly salary increases to PKR 213,000, as they receive an additional PKR 25,000 as an honorarium. In this case, PKR 22,000 is deducted for taxes. As a result, a committee chairperson's net monthly salary is PKR 191,000.

Furthermore, the lawmakers serving as committee chairpersons receive additional benefits which include a car between 1200cc and 1600cc, 360 liters of fuel per month, and free telephone services. They are also entitled to a personal secretary, stenographer, driver, and attendant, along with office furniture and equipment.

Beyond their salaries, MPs enjoy various travel benefits. They are entitled to free business-class return tickets for attending parliamentary or committee sessions.

Infographic shows business-class tickets given to Pakistani lawmakers annually.Nukta

Each lawmaker also receives 30 complimentary business-class return tickets annually, which can be used for personal travel with family members. Alternatively, they can opt for travel vouchers worth PKR 300,000 or cash payments of PKR 90,000 per year. Unused tickets from the yearly allotment can be carried over to the next year.

Additionally, the lawmakers are entitled to free first-class train travel, including access to an AC sleeper cabin and one second-class ticket. When traveling by road, they receive a travel allowance of PKR 25 per kilometer.

During parliamentary or committee sessions, the members are eligible for special daily allowances. Lawmakers from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Quetta, Sargodha, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur are granted PKR 4,800 per day as a special daily allowance.

Meanwhile, those from other regions receive a standard daily allowance of PKR 2,800. The members are also compensated with PKR 2,000 per day as a conveyance allowance and an additional PKR 2,000 per day for housing expenses.

When combined, the members of parliament receive a total of PKR 8,800 daily as part of the special daily allowances and PKR 6,800 as standard daily allowances.

Moreover, every lawmaker is provided with a free telephone line at their residence, or they are paid PKR 10,000 monthly if the facility is unavailable. MPs and their families also enjoy free medical care, with benefits equivalent to those of a federal officer in grade 22.

Parliamentarians are also issued a diplomatic blue passport. As per the 1974 Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, former MPs who served in previous assemblies are still entitled to some of these privileges, including medical benefits and blue passports for themselves and their spouses.

The Leader of the Opposition is accorded benefits equivalent to those of a federal minister.

On average, a lawmaker working for 30 days can expect to earn between PKR 392,000 and PKR 452,000, including all allowances. Committee chairs, opposition leaders, and other senior figures receive additional perks on top of this figure.

In the recent budget, lawmakers passed legislation granting the National Assembly’s finance committee the authority to adjust members' salaries and allowances, removing this responsibility from the cabinet. Senators are now pursuing similar legislation to transfer this power to the Senate's finance committee.

More perks

Speaking to Nukta, MNA Shahida Akhtar Ali explained how allowances for parliamentarians are calculated. “The PKR 8,800 daily allowance includes three days before and three days after the session,” she said. “For a one-day session, members receive seven days' worth of daily allowances. Similarly, for committee meetings, the allowance covers two days before and two days after the meeting, meaning five days’ allowance for a single-day meeting.”

She further elaborated on travel perks: “For two committee meetings in a day, members receive full travel allowance for one day. For road travel, a two-day travel allowance is granted. The lawmakers also receive a diplomatic blue passport for life for both themselves and their spouses, along with VIP protocol at all airports.”

Shahida also pointed out some of the limitations parliamentarians face: “While residing in Parliament Lodges, members must cover the rent, utility bills, and all other expenses. During sessions, the TA/DA is lower, but for committee meetings outside sessions, the allowances are better. This is why the members often prefer shorter parliamentary sessions.”

On the subject of parity with other offices, she remarked, “According to the 1974 Act, National Assembly members are ranked equivalent to Supreme Court judges, while provincial assembly members are equivalent to high court judges.”

Infographic shows disparity in salaries of federal and provincial lawmakers.Nukta

She also highlighted the disparity in salaries between federal and provincial lawmakers, saying, “The salaries, allowances, and perks of National Assembly and Senate members are lower than those of provincial assembly members. Despite multiple attempts, there hasn't been a significant increase. In Balochistan, lawmakers earn between PKR 700,000 and PKR 800,000, and similar trends are seen in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, where provincial lawmakers are paid more than federal MPs.”