The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs is prepared to take up a bill seeking 25 Business Class open return air tickets for lawmakers and their family members in a meeting on Thursday.
The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Khan, had moved the bill titled ‘The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances), Amendment Bill, 2020’ during the National Assembly’s session on 9 March. It seeks amendments to Section 10 of the existing law that regulates the free travel privileges of parliamentarians.
They can receive 25 Business Class open return air tickets from any Pakistani airline within a year, along with vouchers worth Rs. 300,000 for travel by air or train.
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However, the ‘Statement of Object and Reasons’ attached to the bill states that “there has been persistent demand by the parliamentarians to extend the utility of 25 air tickets to their family members as well,” and that the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure has already given suggestions in this regard.
The bill reads: “Therefore, vouchers of equal value in lieu of admissible 25 business class open return air tickets are proposed to be issued to the members of the Parliament, which may be utilized by family members of the parliamentarian as well”.
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‘Family members’ include the spouse and children of a member and one other person.
The committee will also take up another bill titled ‘The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ for “open and identifiable ballot” during the Senate elections.
