Federal Constitutional Court Gives Staff Huge Pay Raise But IMF, Govt Stay Silent

The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan has approved a major increase in compensation for its employees, effectively a 50 percent increase in their take-home pay through newly introduced allowances.

According to an official office order, the Chief Justice exercised powers under Article 208(b) of the Constitution, along with relevant judicial precedents, to revise the court’s internal pay structure.

All structural employees of the court will receive a Judicial Allowance equal to 50 percent of their running basic salary. Further, a Utility Allowance amounting to another 50 percent of basic pay has also been approved.

The order states that the financial impact of the decision will be covered entirely from the court’s existing budget allocation for the fiscal year 2025–26, meaning no additional government funding is required.

The development has drawn attention because the decision comes at a time when Pakistan continues to implement austerity and fuel price hikes due to the war situation. Notably, the pay revision proceeded without opposition from the federal government or international financial institutions overseeing economic reforms.

The allowance increase takes effect immediately.