20pc hike in salaries notified: Govt sure it will win judiciary over in the end?

ISLAMABAD: Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani has issued a notification on Tuesday notifying 20 percent increase in the salaries of Supreme Court of Pakistan judges.

A spokesperson for law and justice ministry said the monthly salary of the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been increased to Rs1.2 million while the monthly salary of other judges of the apex court has been raised to Rs1.1 million.

The changes are to come into effect immediately with the pay raise being applicable from the current month onwards, states the order.

Senate chief’s perks: Sanjrani defends controversial bill

A similar order, issued by President Dr Arif Alvi in June 2022, listed the CJP’s monthly salary at Rs1,024,324 and that of other apex court judges at Rs967,636. This marks an increase of around Rs204,865 in the former’s salary.

The acting president’s order mentions that the previous order was hereby repealed.

This development comes at the heels of a sitting of the upper house during which legislation proposing an increase in the perks and privileges of senators, including the Senate chairperson and deputy chairperson, was met with criticism.

Since assuming additional responsibilities after President Alvi departed for Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, acting president and Senator Sanjrani has introduced and amended various legislations.

These include an amendment to an ordinance that governs the country’s top anti-graft body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Replacing the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999, the recently-passed National Accountability (Amend-ment) Ordinance 2023 gives unprecedented powers to the NAB chairman, allowing him to issue arrest warrants for individuals who refuse to cooperate in investigations.

Under the amended NAB law, arrested suspects can now be held in custody for up to 30 days, a significant increase from the previous 14-day limit.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023