MP scales devised in 1998 to bring professional from private to public sector: Senate told

ISLAMABAD, : Caretaker Minister for Finance and Revenue Shamshad Akhtar on Friday apprised the Senate that Management Position (MP) Scales were devised in 1998 to bring highly professional persons from private sector to Public sector.

Replying to a calling attention notice raised by Mian Raza Rabbani regarding the revision of Management Position (MP) Salary package with effect from 1st October, 2023, she said the package was also revised in 2007, 2012 and 2017.

The package was also duly approved by past leadership, she said.

She said in July 2022, basic pay of civil servants was also enhanced around 48 per cent.

The process of package enhancement was started in July 2022 to take on board the Cabinet and the Establishment Division, she said.

The minister said that the prime minister approved it after limiting it to 45 per cent of basic salary.

She said there were some technical areas in energy, economy and Finance etc which needed specialized persons and specialized skills.

Earlier, moving the calling attention notice in the house, Raza Rabbani said that persons appointed in MP scales had already getting hefty perks and privileges than the elected representatives- senator and member national assembly. Now, the salary package of MP scales had further been enhanced manifolded, he added.

He said the basic salary of a senator was mere Rs 150,000 per month while MP scale employee was getting minimum over Rs 350,000 per month basic salary excluding other perks and privileges.

The Senator went on to say that someone was drawing over two to three million rupees per month salary. Such people were burden over the national exchequer, he added.

Meanwhile, Mushahid Hussain Syed on behalf of Chairman, Standing Committee on Human Rights Waleed Iqbal presented report of the Committee on a point of public importance raised by Senator Saifullah Abro on 7th April, 2023, regarding murder of Professor Ajmal Sawand in Kandhkot, Sindh in the House.