The upper house of parliament approved a bill establishing the protocol of the deputy head of state for the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker on official journeys overseas.
Passed on Monday, the bill also called for an increase in parliamentarians’ wages despite the nation’s record-high inflation rate.
During the meeting presided over by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Senators Shibli Faraz, Dilawar Khan, and Naseebullah Bazai submitted the chairman and speaker’s Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges Amendment Bill, 2022.
According to the bill, the Senate chairman and the NA speaker should be provided with the deputy head of state’s protocol when on official business abroad.
The bill also states that the protocol should be followed whether the chairman or speaker is serving as president or acting president or not.
In 2020, senators argued against the bill questioning whether lawmakers should enhance their own pay in the current economic situation.
PPP senator Farooq H. Naek suggested changing its content at Monday’s session.
The amendment was accepted by the house, and the law was unanimously passed.
