Non-maintainable: Petition against lawmakers’ salaries dismissed

The petitioner said the raise in their salaries violates Islamic governance rules

LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the raise in salary of National Assembly members for being non-maintainable.

A citizen had filed the petition through his counsel, AK Dogar. “The citizens lack basic health facilities and access to education,” the petitioner said.

He said that foreign debt had increased in the past three years to record levels. “The country is severely affected by poverty and unemployment,” the petitioner said.

He said the economic crisis had not been controlled. “Despite these circumstances, the parliamentarians have raised their salaries.

They were already high as compared to public servants.

The raise in their salaries violates Islamic governance rules,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2016.