A few days back the government informed the National Assembly that there was no plan under consideration to increase salaries of the employees and pensions of the retired personnel in the budget for the next financial year but latest reports say the Federal Cabinet has approved a summary for a quantum jump in salaries and allowances of the members of the cabinet and the proposal will now go to the parliament for approval.
The summary for the purpose envisages 188% increase in the salaries of federal ministers, ministers of state and advisors.
Presently, a minister gets Rs.200,000 as salary and a minister of state Rs.180,000 but they will get Rs.519,000 after the summary is approved by Parliament.
The proposal is a logical follow up of the earlier move to substantially hike salaries and allowances of the members of the parliament, which was widely criticized.
However, adoption of the latest summary for an extraordinary increase in salaries of the cabinet members is yet another indication that the government was least bothered about public perception or reaction to its policies.
On the face of it, there is absolutely nothing wrong in ensuring that the holders of public office get respectable remuneration for their services for the cause of the people.
Inflation has increased tremendously resulting in a proportionate hike in the cost of living, therefore, ministers, ministers of state and advisors must also be compensated for that.
However, it is the overall economic and financial position of the country and the policies vis-à-vis the general public, especially towards government employees and pensioners that make a difference.
The government, under the pressure of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pursuing a comprehensive policy on right-sizing under which ministries and departments are being merged, abolished or privatized rendering surplus thousands of employees, compounding the issue of unemployment.
As the government got the summary for increase in salaries of cabinet members approved through circulation, the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production was informed that the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) was all set to shutter 1,700 outlets and slash thousands of jobs as part of a delayed privatization drive.
Thousands of vacancies have already been abolished with many more posts categorized as dying cadres.
Pensionary benefits of existing employees have been reduced sharply and future hirings are made either on contract or on the basis of contributory provident fund (CPF).
All this is being done on the plea of saving expenditure but at the same time the size of the federal cabinet is bloating and more bodies and institutions are being created to accommodate the elite and influential class.
People are made to believe that the IMF is a major hurdle in the way of provision of relief to the government employees and the general public.
The authorities repeatedly said they were unable to announce planned relief for electricity consumers and the real estate sector without a nod from the IMF.
The latest decision to hike the salary of the cabinet members comes immediately after the departure of an IMF delegation and question arises whether this proposal too was also got approved from the Fund.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) went ahead with its plans to acquire thousands of cars for its officers despite fierce opposition from different circles including members of the parliament.
Hefty special pays and sumptuous allowances are sanctioned for those working in important ministries and institutions but similar benefits are denied to ordinary government servants.
There seem to be clear double standards as far as perks and privileges for the elite and the non-elite are concerned.
This discriminatory attitude is one of the main causes of frustration among government employees and the general public.
Members of Parliament and cabinet members are ought to serve as role models but self-serving moves betray realization of this noble objective.
