First Lady and member of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Aseefa Bhutto Zardari is the only Member of the National Assembly (MNA) among 314 legislators who is not receiving a monthly salary.

 

A media report claims that 313 lawmakers, including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former premier Nawaz Sharif, are receiving salaries from the government. 

 

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and independent candidates had submitted a written demand for a hike in salaries, said the media report.

 

President Aif Ali Zardari's daughter, Aseefa, youngest sister of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was elected unopposed in the by-election held on National Assembly seat NA-207 in Nawabshah, Sindh.

 

Two months after being sworn in as an MNA, Aseefa declared in June last year that she will not take any salaries or allowances. “I will not take any salary or allowances as a member,” she said in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the NA.

 

Meanwhile, the lower house of parliament on Tuesday passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, increasing lawmakers’ salaries from PKR180,000 to PKR519,000.

 

As per media reports, the bill was presented by Romina Khurshid Alam in the Lower House. Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar did not oppose the proposed legislation.

 

During the session, PTI lawmakers raised slogans and tore copies of the agenda, calling the assembly a “fake parliament.” In response, the Law Minister challenged the lawmakers to not take their salaries if they believed that the assembly was illegitimate.

 

The National Assembly’s Finance Committee, headed by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, approved the proposed increase in the monthly salary of each MNA and senator.

 

The bill, which amended the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974 [The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2025], was already passed by the Senate before being tabled at the NA.

 

It should be mentioned here that the Punjab Assembly In December had also passed an amendment bill for a hefty increase in financial perks and privileges of elected members, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, special assistants and advisers.

 

Following the passage of the bill, a provincial minister’s salary increased to PKR960,000 from PKR100,000. The Speaker’s salary was increased from PKR125,000 to PKR950,000, whereas the Deputy Speaker will draw PKR775,000 instead of PKR120,000. The monthly salary of MPAs also increased from PKR76,000 to PKR400,000.