Salary Hike for Parliamentarians Sparks Controversy
The salary hike has sparked a debate about the priorities of the government and the impact of such decisions on the common man. With the Sindh government expected to announce a 10-20% salary increase for its employees in the upcoming budget, the issue of salary hikes is likely to remain a topic of discussion in the coming days.
A significant raise in the salaries and allowances of parliamentarians has sparked controversy, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif taking notice of the issue and seeking a report from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The raise, which increased salaries from over Rs200,000 to around Rs2 million, was approved by the House Finance Committee, with Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq presiding over the meetings.
The National Assembly and Senate secretariat have denied reports that the custodians approved the increase on their own, claiming that only the PM and his cabinet have the authority to approve such raises. The government has proposed an increase in salaries for members of parliament and the federal cabinet in the new budget, with an allocation of Rs16.29 billion for the National Assembly and Rs9.05 billion for the Senate.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani has distanced himself from the massive hike in the salaries of senior parliamentarians, including himself, saying he was not consulted before the raise was approved. The government recently increased the salaries of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3 million a month, with 50% of the revised salary as sumptuary allowance.
The decision has drawn criticism from within the ruling PML-N, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif calling it a "financial obscenity" and urging lawmakers to "keep in mind the life of a common man." Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb defended the hike, saying it should be seen in the context of the salaries being last adjusted in 2016.
The controversy surrounding the salary hike for parliamentarians has highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the decision-making process. As the government prepares to announce the new budget, it remains to be seen how the issue will be addressed and what implications it will have for the country's economy and politics.