A bill regarding Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances Act 2023 has been introduced in the National Assembly of Pakistan by Mrs. Kishwer Zehra, a member of the National Assembly. Some points of the bill of uniform pay scales, pay, allowances, and salary of the employees are as under:

Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances Act 2023 Bill National Assembly

 

A bill to provide for uniform and equal scale of salary, allowances, and compensation in the autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies, corporations, companies, authorities, and other organizations or entities under administrative control, directly or indirectly, or having share the capital, of the Ministries and  Division of the Federal Government ancillary matters, etc., to end discriminatory, exploitative and inconsistent pay packages.

                               Whereas it is expedient to provide for uniform and equal scales of salary, allowances, and compensation in the autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies, corporations, companies, authorities, and other organizations or entities under administrative control, directly or indirectly, or having share capitals, of the Ministries and Division of the Federal Government and ancillary matters, etc., to end discriminatory, exploitative, and inconsistent pay packages;

 And whereas is observed that there is a huge difference in salary packages including allowances, etc., of the employees and executives working in the autonomous and

                           Semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies, corporations, companies, authorities, and other organizations or entities under administrative control, directly or indirectly, or having the share capitals, of the Ministries and Division of the Federal Government and ancillary matters, etc., which is highly discriminatory, exploitative, and inconstant as well in violation of Articles 3 and 25 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

Therefore, it is expedient to introduce uniform and equal scales of salary, allowances, and compensations in also bodies and entities under the administrative control of the Federal Government in the interest of justice, fair play, and equality to achieve the goal of an egalitarian society which discrimination and exploitation free.

 

Short Title, extent, application, and Commencement

 

1.  (1)This Act may be called the equal Scales of Salary and Allowances Act, 2023.

(2)  it extends to the whole of Pakistan.

(3)  it shall come into force at once.

(4)  it shall apply to all employees of the autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies, corporations, companies, authorities, and other organizations or entities except the Development Projects under the administrative control, directly or indirectly, or having the share capitals, or the Ministries and Division, or the Federal Government.

 

Definitions

 

2. – In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-

 

Bodies and Entities

 

• “Bodies and entities mean and include all autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory bodies corporations, companies, authorities, and all other organization or entities by whatever name called or known except the Development Projects, under the administrative control of the Ministers and Division, directly or indirectly, or having the share capital of the Federal Government;

 

Class of executives and employees

 

• “class of executives and employees” means classes of executives and employees arranged by Ministries of Finance in consultation with the Establishment Division  based on information and details of functional specializations of the executives and employees of the bodies and entities for the purposes of uniform and equal scales of salary and allowances;

• “employee” means an employee, contractual or regular, or official equal to any Basic Pay Scale (BPS), executive or otherwise except the head, chief executive officer, and members of the Boards or Authorities, working in any autonomous and

Semi-autonomous body, statutory body, corporation, company, authority, and any other organization or entity by whatever name  called except the employees of the Development Projects, under the administrative control of the Ministries and  Division, directly or indirectly, or having the capitals, of the Federal Government;

 

Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances (ESSA)

 

• “Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances (ESSA)” means Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances determined and prescribed by the Ministry of Finance in consultation with the Establishment Division and revised from time to time having the least difference as compared to the Basic Pay Scales (BPS) or Project Employees Scales;
• “Federal Government” means the Federal Government defined in Article 90 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

• “Guidelines” means guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance in consultation with the Establishment Division regarding the inclusion of the executives and employees of the bodies and entities keeping in view their functional specializations;
• “prescribed” means prescribed by Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances and guidelines by the Ministry of Finance with the approval of the Cabinet.

 

Introduction of Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances by the Federal Government

 

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the Ministry of Finance shall determine and notify equal scales of salary and allowances for employees of the bodies and entities under the administrative control of the Federal Government in light of guidelines for different classes of executives and employees.

(2) No employee of the bodies and entitle shall be entitled to any other allowance, perks, privileges, facilities, or benefits called or known by whatever name, etc., after commencement of this Act and determination and notification of equal scales of salary

and allowances for employees of the bodies and entities.

 

Review of Pay Scales

 

(3) Ministry of Finance with the approval of the Cabinet shall review equal scales of salary and allowances periodically or whenever there is revision and review of the Basic Pay Scales of the Civil Servants of the Federal Govt.

(4) The Ministry of Finance shall determine and notify equal scales of salary and allowances for employees of the bodies and entities within three months after the commencement of this Act.

(5) No employee will receive any other financial benefit from anybody and notify except the financial benefits provided in the form of equal scales of salary and allowances.

(6) It shall the duty of the body or entity to arrange financial resources to meet financial commencement to meet those budgetary allocations for equal scales of pay and allowances.

(7) There shall be no personal pay or any type of pay protection to any employee after the commencement of the Act except for salary and allowance provided in the Equal Scales of Salary and Allowances and differences in salary will be adjusted by allowing increments in the relevant scale of pay.

(8) There shall be no special increase in salary, move-over, or time-scale increase in salary except salary on the basis of promotion to the next higher scale.

(9) There shall be no honoraria, Bonus, or any other discriminatory financial benefit to any employee except any such financial benefit provided in any other law relating to workers or workers.

 

4. Issuance of Guidelines

 

(l) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law or rule in force for the time being, the Ministry of Finance shall issue guidelines for the formulation and arrangements of all employees of the bodies and entities for the purposes of different equal scales of salary and allowances in the light of their functional specializations or job descriptions.

(2) The Ministry of Finance shall review and revise guidelines prescribed in consultation with the Establishment Division and the conceded bodies and entities periodically.

(3) There shall be no exceptions or discriminatory provisions in the determination and notification of equal scales of salary and allowances, etc., in any guideline for any employee or class of employee.

 

5. Overriding effect of the Act

 

(1) The Provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything consistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force.

(2) Any indemnity or protection provided in any law for the time being or force shall not be available to any employee regarding the protection of his salary and allowances after commencement of this Act and provisions of any law, rules or regulations, etc, shall stand

Amended {accordingly in accordance with provisions of this Act to introduce and adopt uniform

and equal scales of salary and allowances of the employees of the bodies and entities.

 

6. Removal of Difficulties

 

(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provision of the Act, the Ministry of Finance with the approval of the Cabinet may, by an order published in the Official Gazette, may make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as may appear to him to be appropriate or necessary for the purpose of removal of such difficulty.

(2) No power under sub-section (l) they will execute after one year of the commencement

of this Act.

 

There is much good news for employees if the Government acts upon these proposals. There are also the latest updates regarding upgradation of federal employees including Defence Paid Employees of the Federal Government of Pakistan. In addition to that, there is also in progress the upgradation of clerical staff, especially LDCs and UDCs.