ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari signed four ordinances, including one to adjust the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state to match those of National Assembly members (MNAs).
A private newspaper reported that in February, the National Assembly passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, already approved by the Senate, to raise parliament members’ salaries.
The National Assembly’s Finance Committee, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, set the new monthly salary for MNAs and senators at Rs519,000, up from Rs180,000.
The ordinance states that federal ministers and ministers of state will now earn the same monthly salary as MNAs, which is Rs519,000. This updates the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975. Previously, federal ministers earned Rs200,000 per month, and state ministers earned Rs180,000.
On February 27, President Zardari swore in 12 federal ministers, nine ministers of state, three advisers, and four special assistants to the prime minister.
The federal cabinet grew from 21 to 43 members, including 30 federal ministers, nine ministers of state, and four advisers. Most new members are from the ruling PML-N, with some from allied parties.
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Another ordinance established the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) to manage sanitary and phytosanitary measures for imports and exports.
Additionally, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 was signed to address pending tax amounts in legal disputes.
In other news, Utility Stores Corporation has let go of 2,800 contract employees in the second phase of its right-sizing plan.
Reports say the Utility Stores Corporation Board approved the right-sizing plan, following the federal cabinet’s policy. The plan will be fully implemented by June 30. Under this plan, the number of corporation regions has been reduced from 64 to 34, and the number of branches has been cut from 3,700 to 1,565.
