LAHORE    -  The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed a bill to substantially raise the salaries of its members, including ministers, advisors, the speaker, deputy speaker, and the parliamentary secretaries. After passage of the ‘Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives Bill, 2024’, the salary of a member of the Assembly  has been increased from Rs 76,000 to Rs 400,000. The salary of a minister has been  raised from Rs 100,000 to Rs 960,000. The salary of a speaker and deputy speaker has been increased from Rs 125,000 to Rs 950,000 and Rs 120,000 to Rs 775,000 respectively. Similarly, the monthly emoluments of a parliamentary secretary have been increased from Rs 83,000 Rs 551,000. The salary of the advisor to the chief minister and special assistant has been raised from Rs 100,000 to Rs 665,000 and Rs 100,000 to Rs 665,000 respectively. In the statement of objects and reasons, it has been stated that the last increase in the salaries of public representatives was made in 2019 and that the emoluments drawn by them are very low and inadequate in the prevailing circumstances. Punjab Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja Ur Rehman moved the bill. It was passed with a majority vote as the Opposition opposed the legislation. Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar raised an objection to the increase in the salaries bill stating that it was not in accordance with the Parliamentary Rules of 1972. The Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan, however, rejected the objection saying that this bill is fully compliant with the existing laws. The speaker also termed it a  commendable step by the government. Also, the Opposition staged a token walkout from the Assembly to register protest over the alleged D-Chowk killings. The opposition members also staged a sit-in at the front steps of the Assembly building and raised slogans against the government.