Sindh Assembly in Karachi has approved a 200 percent salary increase for its lawmakers, triggering heated debate both inside and outside the province. The move has quickly become a controversial subject across Pakistan, as critics question the timing and necessity of such a decision when ordinary citizens continue to struggle with rising inflation and an uncertain economic outlook.
Sindh lawmakers approve massive salary hike
In a session held earlier this week, Sindh Assembly legislators voted in favor of a bill that raises the monthly salaries and allowances of provincial lawmakers, ministers, and key office holders such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The legislation was passed with majority support and is expected to significantly increase the take-home pay of elected representatives.
Before the approval, Sindh’s lawmakers were among the lowest-paid compared to their counterparts in other provinces. With this change, their salaries will now be among the highest in Pakistan, aligning them more closely with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The package includes not only higher basic salaries but also enhanced allowances such as transport, housing, and daily stipends.
Public anger over lawmakers rewarding themselves
The timing of the bill has provoked strong criticism from the public, who view the raise as unfair and self-serving. Across Sindh, many citizens voiced their frustration, pointing to the fact that people are struggling with soaring food prices, unaffordable electricity bills, and unemployment. In contrast, lawmakers have awarded themselves a threefold increase in their pay.
Civil society groups, labor unions, and academics argue that the province still faces serious governance challenges from poor healthcare and underfunded schools to crumbling infrastructure in rural areas.
Many questioned why the assembly was so quick to approve its own pay raise while dragging its feet on bills related to education reforms, water shortages, and poverty alleviation.
Lawmakers defend their decision
Despite the criticism, members of the Sindh Assembly who supported the bill defended their decision as justified and overdue. Several lawmakers highlighted the years-long neglect in revising their salaries, which left them trailing behind other provinces. They emphasized that legislators in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receive higher pay, and insisted Sindh’s representatives deserve equal treatment.
Some even suggested that better pay could reduce corruption by giving lawmakers more financial security and less incentive to misuse their positions. According to them, a legislator’s role demands long hours, extensive travel, and social obligations, all of which require financial resources.
A few members also noted that political office is not just about speeches inside the assembly but also about constantly attending to constituents’ needs, which often involves personal expenses.
