A meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was held under the chairmanship of Member of National Assembly (MNA) Noor Alam Khan in Islamabad today.
The committee reviewed the matter of audit of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s budget. Members reviewed the difference in salaries, perks, and privileges between judges of the apex court and federal government officials and civil servants.
Noor Alam Khan brought to the attention of the committee that the salary of the President of Pakistan was Rs. 896,550 per month, while the Prime Minister netted Rs. 201,574 per month.
The PAC Chairman said that Grade 22 officers earned a monthly salary of Rs. 591,475, federal ministers Rs. 338,125 per month, and MNAs were paid Rs. 188,000 per month.
He went on to say that Supreme Court Judges were paid a monthly salary of Rs. 1,470,711 while the Chief Justice of Pakistan netted Rs. 1,527,399 on a monthly basis.
The PAC chairman questioned the level of disparity in salaries earned by Supreme Court judges and government employees, claiming that the difference in remunerations was clearly obvious. Following further discussion, MNA Sheikh Rohale Asghar suggested that the Supreme Court’s budget be reduced.
While the PAC committee finds salary gaps between Supreme Court judges and government employees as off putting, it bears mentioning that according to a Law Ministry notification issued in March 2023, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman is paid a monthly salary of Rs. 1.7 million. His perks and benefits include an official residence, two cars, free electricity up to 2,000 units, and 600 liters of petrol per month.