Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: THE Shehbaz Sharif-led government in Pakistan, which had initially made tall claims about launching austerity plans and cutting down on expenditures, has approved a staggering 188 per cent increase in the salaries of cabinet ministers, ministers of state and advisors.
The massive U-turn comes at a time when the country is going through a major financial crisis and the salaried class remains burdened with high taxations, job loss, inflation, high fuel cost, high electricity price, etc.
As per the latest announcement, the ministers and advisors will now be getting Rs 519,000 per month. Sharif has been calling on Pakistanis to tighten their expenditures due to excessive taxes, asserting that it is a recovery phase for the country. However, the 188 per cent hike in salaries of ministers and advisors has raised a serious question about the government’s intentions.
The latest increase in salaries of the federal cabinet has come two months after the salaries and allowances of all Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) in the Parliament and Senators in the Senate of Pakistan (Upper House), were increased by the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, bringing them in line with the federal secretaries.