Luckily, sense prevailed among those who opposed the bill.
ISLAMABAD: The nation was dumbfounded at the initiation of the bill, later defeated, to raise the salaries of parliamentarians during a stage when the nation is sighing under the heavy burden of inflation, low income and unemployment. The PPP government had raised pay and pension of government employees by 20%. Unfortunately, the PML-N government decreased it to 10% for government employees while bumping up the salaries of parliamentarians by 133%. Though the recent attempt to increase the salaries of parliamentarians failed, it was an insensitive joke with the nation. Luckily, sense prevailed among those who opposed the bill. Given the way our elections work for the National Assembly and the Senate, it is impossible for a middle class or poor person to even think of contesting the election. The rich lawmakers instead of proposing raise in their own incentives should surrender 50% of their pay for the welfare of the downtrodden. Such an act of generosity is not likely to make any dent in the financial worth of these politicians, but it will go a long way in setting a good example and winning the hearts of the people.
Raja Shafaatullah
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2020.
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