ISLAMABAD-UNS: The federal government has significantly increased the superior judicial and house rent allowance for the judges of the Supreme Court, a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice said on Thursday.
Earlier this week, the government had increased the house rent and the salaries of the high court judges, after the law ministry — according to sources — had asked to revise the house rent of judges from Rs65,000, considering the surge in house rents in Islamabad over the years.
According to the notification — signed by acting president Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani — issued on November 4, the house rent of SC judges has increased from Rs68,000 to Rs350,000.
Likewise, the superior judicial allowance of the judges has also been increased from Rs4,28,040 to Rs1,061,163.
“In the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Order, 1997, hereinafter referred to as the said Order, in paragraph 20, in sub-paragrapgh (2), for the words “sixty eight thousand”, the words “three hundred fifty thousand” shall be substituted.
Similarly, the superior judicial allowance of the judges has also been increased from Rs428,040 to Rs1,161,163.
“In the said Order, in paragraph 22, for the words ‘four hundred twenty-eight thousand forty’, the words ‘one million one hundred sixty-one thousand one hundred sixty-three’ shall be substituted.”
The notification was issued after approval by Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani.
Likewise, the government also increased the house rent and judicial allowances of the high court judges as well.
According to the notification, the house rent has been increased from Rs65,000 to Rs350,000, while the judicial allowance increased from Rs342,431 to Rs1,090,000.
The development came days after the parliament bulldozed the Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeking an increase in the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges up to 34.
According to the statement of objects and reasons, “the number of Judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan Court is to be fixed under the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1997 […] The number of Judges of the Supreme Court is sixteen plus one Chief Justice. In view of the consistent increase in the litigation in Pakistan and budging pendency, it is necessary that the number of Judges in the Supreme Court shall be increased.”
“In light of the above, it is proposed to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from sixteen to thirty-three, in addition to the Chief Justice,” it added.
Highlighting the salient features of the bill, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar — while speaking on the floor of the lower house — had said under the amendment bill, the number of judges may be increased up to 34.
The order made changes to paragraphs 20 and 22 of the Supreme Court Judges (leave, pension and privilege) Order, 1997.
It will be called Supreme Court Judges (Leave. Pension and Privileges) (Amendment) Order, 2024, the notification said.
Last year, former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had increased the monthly salaries of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) and other Supreme Court judges to Rs1.2 million and Rs1.1m, respectively.