Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The reinstated members of the national and provincial assemblies on reserved seats are set to receive their basic salaries for the entire period of their suspension.
According to parliamentary sources, total of 77 lawmakers were suspended on May 13, 2024, with their salaries halted immediately after the issuance of suspension notifications.
Of these, 22 were from the National Assembly, including 19 women and 3 minority representatives. So far, 19 of them have been reinstated, with notifications for the remaining three still pending.
Insiders confirmed that the reinstated MNAs will be paid basic salaries only, without TA/DA or other allowances, from May 13 to December 31, 2024, at the rate of PKR 150,000 per member.
From January 1, 2025 until the date of the Supreme Court’s ruling, they will receive salaries based on the revised pay scale.
Similarly, 55 reinstated members of the provincial assemblies on reserved seats will be compensated as per their respective assembly acts.
Earlier, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has said that Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution are remnants of dictatorship and have been used against democracy. He declared himself a strong opponent of these articles, stating, “If you want, throw them out entirely. What’s unacceptable is their selective use based on convenience.”
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Malik Ahmad Khan said he had always strived to fulfill his role with full responsibility, spending his life within the bounds of these assemblies and their rules. He mentioned issuing notices to some opposition members, emphasizing that the Assembly must operate according to the rules.
He added that opposition members were given full opportunity to speak in the house. “It’s been two decades since I entered this house, and yet I’ve never heard a complete budget speech. I can’t recall a single finance minister’s speech. Sessions often descend into chaos, even to the point of attacks on finance ministers.”
He questioned, “Don’t the 120 million people of this province have rights? Parliament and assemblies are not dead houses; they are filled with living representatives.” He said he had always tried to be a good custodian of the house, had sworn to uphold the Constitution, and held a constitutional responsibility. “Over the past 15 months, I have prioritized the opposition’s voice, responding to every criticism with a smile.”
Malik Ahmad Khan acknowledged that past mistakes had been made collectively and their consequences felt. “Much has been said and written against my rulings. During budget speeches, the disruptions were so intense that the speeches couldn’t be heard.”
He questioned, “Did I write the Constitution? I myself oppose Articles 62 and 63 and say they should be uprooted — they are symbols of dictatorship. Selective use of these articles is not acceptable.”
