PTI critcises salary hike for Punjab lawmakers

Accuses ruling coalition of trying to use Pakistan-China ties for politics

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticised an increase in the salaries of Punjab Assembly lawmakers, terming it a misuse of public funds amid a worsening economic crisis.

The assembly had on Monday passed the Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives Bill 2024, significantly raising the pay of MPAs, ministers, the speaker, deputy speaker, advisers and special assistants. The increase ranges between 426 per cent for MPAs and 860% for ministers.

Reacting to the development, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram criticised the bill, calling it "an open robbery of the public treasury" and accusing the government of political bribery.

He said that while the nation is burdened with IMF-driven austerity measures, the "Form 47 government" —a reference to alleged election irregularities— is shamelessly filling its pockets with loans. "The people are suffering under the weight of hunger, unemployment and record inflation, yet taxpayers' money is being distributed to those rejected by the people," he alleged.

Akram accused the ruling coalition of attempting to leverage Pakistan-China relations for political gains. He said China had pulled millions of people out of poverty through practical measures, while Punjab's leaders were pushing the economy into decline. He added that corruption, punishable by death in China, remained unchecked in Pakistan.

He alleged that Punjab's resources were being concentrated in Lahore rather than addressing provincial disparities. "Punjab will continue to sink into economic devastation as long as this mandate-thief government holds power," he asserted.

The bill, introduced by Provincial Minister Mujtaba Shuja, was passed with a majority vote. While Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar raised concerns about its compliance with parliamentary laws, Speaker Malik Ahmed Kahn defended the legislation as a "positive step."