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Senate committees present key reports

Senate committees present key reports

Reports of various Senate standing committees on important legislative bills were presented in the Upper House on Tuesday under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate.
Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control Chairman Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman presented the committee's reports on three significant amendment bills.
The senator first presented the report on the bill further to amend the Societies Registration Act, 1860 [The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2025]. He also submitted the report of the committee on the bill further to amend the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997.

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Govt under fire for salary hike for top parliamentarians while minimum wage remains static
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Govt under fire for salary hike for top parliamentarians while minimum wage remains static

The federal government's decision to significantly raise the salaries and financial perks of top parliamentary officeholders has drawn criticism, even from within its ranks. Defence Minister and senior PML-N leader Khawaja Asif called the move a 'financial obscenity' on the social media platform X on Wednesday. 'The huge increase in the salaries and financial incentives for the speaker, deputy speaker, chairman Senate, and deputy chairman Senate falls under the category of financial obscenity. 'Keep in mind the life of the common man, all our honour and dignity are due to him,' said Asif. Meanwhile, during the post-budget press conference on Wednesday, Finance Minister Muhammad Auranzgeb defended the sharp increase in the monthly salary of lawmakers. 'If we talk about raising salaries of government employees, then ministers' salaries should also be reviewed.' He pointed out that the salaries of the Senate chairman, deputy chairman, National Assembly speaker, and deputy speaker were recently increased. When questioned about whether their salaries had been raised from Rs250,000 to Rs2.15 million per month, the minister remarked that the focus should be on when ministers, ministers of state, and parliamentarians last received a salary adjustment. 'The cabinet ministers' salaries were last increased in 2016. If a salary raise had been made annually, the recent hike would not seem so high,' he explained. The government in its budget presentation also announced a 10% increase in salaries for federal government employees (Grade-1 to Grade-22) and a 7% increase in pensions for retired government servants. However, it decided to keep the minimum wage unchanged in the budget for the financial year 2025-26, saying it would remain at Rs37,000 per month. The decision to keep the minimum wage unchanged comes despite calls from some public and political quarters.

Govt hints at Rs500b mini-budget
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time7 hours ago

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Govt hints at Rs500b mini-budget

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"People ask us if revenue will decline. But if we are to take this country forward toward an export-led model, this is the discussion we must have," he said. The minister noted that additional customs duties were eliminated from four tariff lines and reduced for 2,700 more, all linked to raw materials intended to benefit exporters. "This is an East Asia moment for Pakistan. Whatever was available in the fiscal space reflects the direction of travel. We've tried to reduce tariffs. This is not the eventual end state," he remarked. On the increased tax rate for the sale of plots, Aurangzeb said the selling side still receives capital gains, but the buying side should receive some relief. Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal stated that there was no more fiscal space to reduce expenditure, and savings from downsizing the government were limited to the abolishment of vacant positions. 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Reform bills tabled amid quorum clashes
Reform bills tabled amid quorum clashes

Express Tribune

time12 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Reform bills tabled amid quorum clashes

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