On Monday, the Punjab Assembly (PA) unanimously passed a resolution condemning the 2014 Army Public School (APS) tragedy in Peshawar, where many innocent students and staff were killed by terrorists. The resolution, presented by PMLN MPA Raheela Khadim Hussein, called for exemplary punishment for the perpetrators and honored the 124 students and teachers martyred in the attack. It emphasized that such tragedies would not break the nation’s spirit.
In the same session, the assembly also passed the Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives Bill 2024, which proposes significant salary increases for lawmakers and officials. The bill was met with objections from Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bachar, but Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan defended the bill, stating it was in line with the 1972 Parliamentary Act.
The bill outlines salary hikes for various government officials. A minister’s salary will rise from Rs100,000 to Rs960,000, while the Speaker’s salary will increase from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000. Other officials, including the Deputy Speaker, Parliamentary Secretary, and Special Assistants to the CM, will also see substantial pay raises. The bill justifies these increases, stating that the previous pay was “very low” and “inadequate” in the current economic climate.
