President Dr. Arif Alvi has expressed his desire for a raise in his current salary, according to official documents.
As reported by media, the president has formally requested two increments, the first to be effective from July 1, 2021, and the second from July 1, 2023.
Presently earning a monthly salary of Rs 846,550, the president is seeking a two-stage increment to Rs 1,024,325 and subsequently to Rs 1,229,190 per month, with the proposed changes taking effect from July 2021 and July 2023, respectively.
In a communication addressed to the Secretary Cabinet via his Military Secretary earlier this month, the President’s Secretariat proposed an amendment to the Fourth Schedule of the President’s Salary, Allowances, and Privileges (Amendment) Act, 2018. The amendment seeks to align the president’s salary as follows: a) Rs 1,024,325 per month from July 1, 2021, and b) Rs 1,229,190 per month from July 1, 2023.
The communication highlighted that the president’s remuneration was previously fixed at Rs 846,550 per month in 2018, symbolic of being one rupee higher than the salary of any holder of Public Office related to the Federation.
The letter also pointed out that the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s salary, as another holder of Public Office, had been increased twice in the past two years through Presidential Orders. The salary of the Chief Justice of Pakistan was set at Rs 1,024,324 per month from July 1, 2021, and subsequently raised to Rs 1,229,189 per month from July 1, 2023. This approach was in line with the principle of the president’s salary being one rupee higher than that of any holder of public office, such as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Based on these observations, the President’s Secretariat sought revisions in the Fourth Schedule of the President’s Salary, Allowances, and Privileges (Amendment) Act, 2018.
The matter has been referred to the Law Ministry by the Cabinet Division, and the Law Ministry, on August 18, advised the Cabinet Division to process the request for the salary increase.
The Finance Division also supported the proposed increase, and the matter is anticipated to be presented for approval before the cabinet. If approved, the president would receive arrears in addition to the raised salary, as the two-phase increments would be applied retrospectively from July 2021 and July 2023, respectively.
