ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday approved an increase in the salaries and judicial allowances of the judges of Supreme Court and high courts.

The President signed the summary at a ceremony here at the Presidency, which was attended among others by Dr. Babar Awan, minister for Law & Justice, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Advisor to the Prime Minister Sardar Latif Khosa and senior government officials.

The increase has been made following amendments in President’s Orders 1, 2 & 3 on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, a press release from the President House said.

According to the amendments a Supreme Court judge will now get a salary of Rs 245,457 against his earlier salary of Rs 188,813. A high court judge will get Rs 231,563 per month against Rs 178,125, which he is drawing at present.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been given an increase of Rs 60,000 per month and will now draw Rs 259,838, while the chief justice of a high court would get Rs 240,825 per month instead of Rs 185,250.

Apart from the salary, the judicial allowance of the judges of Supreme Court and high courts has also been increased. Chief Justice and judges of Supreme Court would now be taking a judicial allowance of Rs 113,750 per month as against Rs 87,500.

Similarly, Chief justice and Judges of High court will now be getting 91,000 as against 70,000 after increase in their judicial allowance.

The salary and allowances are allowed to the judges of the Supreme Court under paras 1 and 2 of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution (Supreme Court part) while the salary and allowances of the judges of High court are allowed under paras 1 & 2 of the Fifth schedule (High court part) of the constitution.

The President, under the provision of the Fifth schedule to the constitution fixes the amounts of salary and allowances of the judges of Supreme Court and high courts through President’s order.