Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Parliamentarians belonging to opposition and ruling parties on Thursday demanded of the government to increase their monthly salaries with a view that price-hike registered 50 to 70 percent increase during last two-and-a-half years.
The demand surfaced during meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on government assurance, which was held in parliament house under the chair of Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar.
The demand was first raised by Amir Dogar who asked Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan to raise this issue with the Prime Minister before the annual budget.
He said when the government was considering increase in government employee salaries, the MNAs, who also worked hard for people’s welfare, were unable to meet their expenses through Rs1,70,000 per month.
Majority of the MPs belong to middle class and they could not have any other source of income. In current circumstance, he said they were unable to meet their expenses, he maintained.
In support of Amir Dogar, PPP’s Shaghufta Jumani said she was unable to meet her monthly expenses with meager salary. Irrespective of political affiliation, she said the government should consider increase in MNAs salary.
She regretted that a Balochistan MPA was getting more salary than an MNA. She also suggested that health insurance should be provided to parliamentarians as they were unable to cover their medical expenses.
