Non-Maintainable: Plea against MNAs’ salaries dismissed

LAHORE:  

Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday dismissed as non- maintainable an application challenging a raise in the salaries and perks of National Assembly members. On June 6, the judge had reserved the verdict on the maintainability of the petition. AK Dogar, counsel for the petitioner, said salaries of parliamentarians were already high and that they also had various other perks and privileges. He said the recent increase in their salaries violated the principles of Islamic governance and was tantamount to discrimination against the common man. He said Pakistan’s was a poor economy where citizens lacked basic health facilities and access to quality education. He submitted that foreign debts had reached billions of rupees. In such circumstances, he said, MNAs’ salaries should not be raised. Dogar requested the court to order austerity under compliance with Sections 5 and 7 of the Enforcement of Shariah Act 1991 for observing golden principles of Islam.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2016.