Senate chairman to get ‘extraordinary facilities’ under govt bill

• Chairman Senate (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Bill 2023 prepared.
• Senate chairman will get Rs50,000 sumptuary allowance per month.
• Govt has proposed Senate chairman’s salary of Rs205,000 per month.

ISLAMABAD: The government has prepared a bill titled ‘Chairman Senate (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Bill 2023’ under which extraordinary facilities will be provided to the Upper House chairman and his family at the cost of public money.

At a time when the country faces a serious financial crunch, the government has proposed the Senate chairman’s salary of Rs205,000 per month.

According to the bill, the Senate chairman may on his election draw Rs5,000 for equipping himself. He will receive an Rs50,000 sumptuary allowance per month, while he and his family will be entitled to an official vehicle maintained at government expense.

Besides the travelling expenses of the Senate chairman and his family, his two personal servants’ transportation and accommodation costs, moving of household things and personal car will also be covered with public money.

“The residence is provided by the government, be paid the actual expenditure incurred by him and furnished accommodation for himself and his family subject to a maximum of five hundred thousand rupees [500,000] per mensem,” the bill read.

If the chairman chooses to reside in his own house, he will get Rs250,000 per month “to cover all expenses on its maintenance”. If his house has no furniture or furnishings, they will be provided at the public money cost.

The chairman may establish a residential office, which will be furnished and facilitated at the government's expense.

The Senate chairman will be entitled to free-of-cost telephones at his residence for calls within the country.

When travelling on official business, he will be treated as a first-grade officer, entitled to travelling and daily allowance. He can also take two of his servants along with him on public money.

If the chairman considers it necessary in the public interest, he may request an aeroplane or a helicopter belonging to the federal government, provincial government, Armed Forces of Pakistan, any flying club in Pakistan or any chartered air service provider.

He may take with him one member of his family when travelling by a commercial flight or four members of his family when travelling by a requisitioned aeroplane. They will get a daily allowance, and hotel suite charges for the period of stay.

While travelling on official business outside Pakistan, the Senate chairman will be entitled to the protocol of deputy head of state or vice-president.

He and his family will be entitled to medical facilities in public and private hospitals and they will be entitled to receive medical treatment at his official residence.

Provided that a person who has held the office of the chairman for a full term of three years, he himself, his wife or his widow will also be entitled to medical facilities for life. The chairman will be entitled to personal staff as prescribed by the Finance Committee of the Senate, not exceeding the limit of 12 in number.

The chairman will also be entitled to discretionary grants.

Every person who has held the office of the Senate chairman for a full term of three years will be entitled for life to full security detail i.e. six sentries at the declared residence, four personnel of police, anti-terrorism force, Rangers, Frontier Corps or Frontier Constabulary in one squad vehicle, for which the federal government in Islamabad, or a provincial government in the respective province, will make the required arrangements.

Originally published in The News