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Austerity — the French way
Is it possible that our beloved president announce cuts in their own pay and perks?
LAHORE: Within 48 hours of taking over the reins of the French presidency, Francoise Hollande announced a 30 per cent reduction in the salaries of the president, the prime minister and all ministers. He said that this was a “symbolic gesture” to show the people of France that the new government was serious on this matter. Considering that France is a very rich country and that Pakistan is not, one can only wonder what it would take for the latter’s government to institute a similar measure.
Is it possible that our beloved president, who was elected with an overwhelming majority by the assemblies, and our patriotic prime minister, unanimously elected by parliament, announce cuts in their own pay and perks? And that they do it not only for the federal cabinet but for all senior state functionaries, including members of the civil and military bureaucracy?
After all, the PPP has always claimed that it’s the only political party in the country, which cares about the welfare of the poor. It’s time that it actually came good on its many pledges.
Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.
Reader Comments (4)
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I hope so but wishful thinking sirRecommend
Yes our PM has just returned from an austerity foreign visit accompanied by a crowd of 80, with another 30 that left two days earlier to join them in London. The poor tax payer paid 400,000 Pounds per night for just the hotel accomodation, while the Bhoja crash victims have not been paid a single paisa as compensation.
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They are the richest people in pakistan and they can certainly afford to not only let go all of their salaries, they can actually afford to pay the cot of their whole time in presidential and prime minsterial houses from their very own pockets. But they would ntRecommend
The Europeans should be the last to tell Pak politicians how to spend money. We all saw how Nicholas Sarkozy and his buddies were embezzling government funds and sharing loot among business friends. That’s why Fracois Hollande is making this show of humility. Look at the way in which the Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese were looting EU money and not paying back while collecting goverment jobs and doing nothing. The ony thing Pakistan can learn from the South Europeans is how to cheat more and become lazier!
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