Federal ministers, advisers to get up to 188 percent hike in salaries

The federal cabinet on Friday approved a hefty increase in the salaries of federal ministers, ministers of state, and advisers by up to 188 percent with the federal cabinet approving the summary.

As per media reports, following the approval, the federal ministers, minister of state and advisers will receive a salary of Rs519,000 monthly. Previously, ministers were paid Rs200,000 while ministers of state received Rs180,000.

According to media reports, the salary of federal ministers has been raised by 159 percent, while the salaries of ministers of state and advisers to the prime minister have seen a staggering increase of up to 188 percent.

The development came over a month after the National Assembly passed the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 — already approved by the Senate — with a majority vote, increasing the salary of the parliament members.

All parliamentary political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and others, were on the same page regarding the massive increase in their salaries.

In December 2024, the Punjab Assembly passed an amendment bill making a massive increase in financial perks and privileges of elected members, the speaker, deputy speaker, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, special assistants and advisers.

The bill was tabled by Minister Mujtaba Shuja and passed with a majority vote. As per the Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives Bill 2024, the increase in the salaries for these offices ranges between 860 percent (for ministers) and 426 percent (for Member Provincial Assembly).

Following the bill, the speaker’s salary was increased from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000, whereas the deputy speaker will draw Rs775,000 instead of Rs120,000. Similarly, the parliamentary secretaries would receive a monthly salary of Rs451,000 instead of Rs83,000 while the special assistants and advisers to the Chief Minister will receive Rs665,000 instead of Rs100,000.

The salary of provincial ministers saw a hefty increase as it was raised from Rs100,000 to Rs960,000 monthly. Likewise, the Member Provincial Assembly's (MPA’s) salary was increased from Rs76,000 to Rs400,000 after the approval of the bill.

Meanwhile, the Opposition leader in Punjab, Assembly Ahmed Khan Bhachar, opposed the bill, asking if it conformed to the Parliamentary Laws Act of 1972.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, who was chairing the session, responded that the bill was in accordance with the law and was a ‘positive’ step by the incumbent government.