Suspend salaries of President, PM, ministers and MPs

The newly-appointed Prime Minister of Pakistan Shebhaz Sharif and the members of his Cabinet have unanimously agreed not to accept their salaries and allowances. They have also decided to cancel overseas trips and curtail unnecessary expenditure. The reappointed President Asif Ali Zardari as well, after taking his oaths, announced that he would not accept his salary and allowances. The reason for their decision is the economic crisis and their request for an IMF loan. Sri Lanka is also facing an economic crisis and has applied for an IMF loan.

Recently, the MPs vehemently protested against the salary hike for the Central Bank (CB) employees and the CB bigwigs were summoned before the Committee of Public Finance (COPF).

According to media reports, the recommendation of COPE is to suspend the CB salary increase. However, if it had been a salary increase for the MPs both the government and the Opposition would have kept quiet.

Instead of making a hue and cry, the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers and ordinary MPs should set an example by forgoing their salaries, allowances, perks, overseas trips etc.

Last week, about a dozen Ministers and MPs were asked to return from overseas because of the no-confidence motion for the Speaker and not because of the economic crisis.

Dr. P. A. Samaraweera