In a controversial move, the Punjab Assembly has passed a new law that ensures the chief minister, provincial ministers, speaker, and deputy speaker will receive their full salaries even while on leave — a decision that has sparked public outrage, particularly amid ongoing economic challenges.
The Punjab Public Representatives’ Law Amendment Act 2025, passed on July 1, revises previous salary rules for top provincial officials. Under the old rules, officials received only a fraction of their pay when absent from official duties. For example, the chief minister previously received just Rs39,000 during leave (around 22% of the full salary), while ministers were paid Rs35,000 (35% of their salary).
However, a massive pay hike in December 2024 saw ministerial salaries surge to Rs960,000, with the speaker earning Rs950,000 and the deputy speaker Rs775,000. Now, thanks to the new amendment, these officials will continue to receive the full amount — even if they skip work. What’s more, the law is retroactive, meaning they’ll be compensated for prior leave days dating back to December 2024.
