File photo of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani
Amidst mounting public outrage over several bills that seek to increase the perks and privileges of former and future office-holders, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani defended the lavish spending during a prevailing economic crunch as a “corrective” measure.
On Friday, the Senate passed three bills increasing the privileges enjoyed by former and current Senate chairmen, deputy chairmen, and members of the Upper House. Moved by over 40 senators—including former chairmen Farooq Naek and Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)—the bills attracted significant anger over the perceived largesse being granted to members of the Upper House as ministers urge the public to “tighten their belts” and “live within their means.” In a rare show of bipartisan support, almost all political parties, including the PMLN, PPP, PTI, JUIF and other members of the ruling alliance, supported the bills.
According to the draft law—which has yet to be passed by the National Assembly—all former and future chairmen would be granted a full security detail of at least 10 personnel, including six permanent guards. They would also be able to requisition aircraft for themselves and family members for domestic and international travel; and would be allowed to requisition additional benefits that are not identified in the bills from the finance committee. Additionally, any chairman that served a full 3-year term would be entitled to a personal staff of up to 12 people. The chairman would also be entitled to an authorized discretionary grant of Rs. 800,000/year or more if decided by the Finance Committee of the Senate.
The draft law further entitles Senate chairmen to provident fund; unlimited medical facilities for them and their families at public and private hospitals as well as at their residence; security protocol at the level of a vice-president; free telephone service; an official residence or rent in case of private residence; furniture paid by public funds; free petrol; and additional perks.
Addressing the controversy in the Senate on Monday, Sanjrani claimed the country’s lawmakers needed to be taken care of before the public, who would secure benefit after their elected representatives—even though there are no direct elections in the Senate and the public has no say on people inducted to it. He claimed the law sought to “correct” and address audit issues, maintaining it would not impose any additional burden on the national exchequer.
Referring to a clause seeking the construction of official residences for the chairman and deputy chairman, he said the chairman was currently allocated a house by the Ministry of Housing and Works. Officials who choose to reside in their own residences are entitled to Rs. 100,000/month in house rent, he said, questioning how this could be managed in Islamabad. The new law has increased the rent to Rs. 250,000/month.
The new law has further increased designated office expenses for the chairman and deputy chairman from Rs. 6,000/month to Rs. 50,000/month and also increased the daily allowance from Rs. 1,750 to Rs. 10,000. The travel allowance, previously set at Rs. 75, has been raised to Rs. 5,000. He also defended the clause allowing requisitioning of aircraft, saying previously travel was restricted to PIA and now any airline could be used, which he claimed would help save money. Chartering a plane, he claimed, was only intended for a Senate chairman becomes acting president.
The chairman claimed there had been no change in family medical entitlement, adding the compensation amount for any victim, as per the privilege of the chairman, had been proposed to be increased from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 10 million. He said the Senate had also proposed increasing the discretionary funding for the chairman and deputy chairman from Rs. 600,000 to Rs. 1,200,000 and from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 600,000, respectively.
Criticism
Former deputy chairman Saleem Mandviwalla, however, appeared unconvinced, and said the bill should be revisited as it had sent a “bad signal” to the public in the current climate. He also lamented that all the perks had been frontloaded for the chairman and deputy chairman, while little was granted to the other members of the Upper House.
Mandviwalla heads the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and said the bill should be sent to the body so every member could present their viewpoint, debate it and then decide on voting for it. “If you being the custodian of the House can’t protect the rights of the members, then we have failed. All chairmen of the Senate have failed,” he said. “Through this, what is the message we are sending?”
Separately, PPP leader and cabinet minister Shazia Marri issued a statement on Monday saying her party did not agree with the “controversial” Chairman Senate (Salaries, Allowance and Privileges) Act, 2023—despite its senators being signatories of the private member bill. Claiming the PPP would oppose the bill in Parliament, she said it was “not acceptable amid serious economic challenges.”