The National Assembly (NA) has approved amendments to the Budget 2024-25, which include increased salaries and travel allowances for Pakistan lawmakers despite the opposition’s protests.
The amendment, put forward by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Abdul Qadir Patel, received majority approval. These changes to the Salary and Allowances Act will be enacted through the Finance Bill 2024-25.
Under the new provisions, lawmakers’ travel allowance has been raised from Rs. 10 to Rs. 25 per kilometer. Furthermore, unused annual airline tickets will roll over to the next year rather than being canceled. Moreover, the annual allotment of travel vouchers has been increased from 25 to 30.
Furthermore, the finance committee of the National Assembly has been tasked with determining the salaries and allowances of lawmakers. During the session, the National Assembly also approved the Federal Budget for fiscal year 2024-25, totaling Rs. 18,870 billion.
Finance and Revenue Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb proposed the motion for consideration of the Finance Bill 2024, which passed with a majority vote following detailed clause-by-clause discussions and voting procedures, rejecting all amendments proposed by opposition members.
