The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed the Sindh Assembly Members (Salaries and Allowances) Bill 2025, which introduces a new framework for the salaries and allowances of its members.
Presented by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Zia ul Hasan Lanjar, the bill aims to replace the existing law with a more structured approach. Under the new framework, the Speaker will establish a Parliamentary Committee tasked with overseeing and recommending changes to the salaries and privileges of Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs). The committee will be appointed based on proportional representation, ensuring fair distribution of membership. Its recommendations will be binding on the government.
The bill outlines several key provisions, including a consolidated salary for each MPA, as determined by the Parliamentary Committee. In addition to the salary, MPAs will be entitled to various allowances such as sumptuary, house rent, utilities, daily, conveyance, subsidy, accommodation, and travel allowances.
Under the new rules, the Leader of the Opposition will be entitled to a salary, allowances, and privileges similar to those of a Provincial Minister.
The bill also establishes specific benefits for chairpersons of parliamentary committees, who will receive multiple allowances but are limited to using one government vehicle, with provisions for petrol and maintenance. The vehicle must be returned within three days of their term ending.
However, Muhammad Farooq, the lone Jamaat-i-Islami MPA, criticised the increase in lawmakers’ salaries, describing it as a burden on the provincial budget. He pointed out that the current salary of Rs152,000 per month would rise to Rs575,000 after the bill’s passage.
