PM Khan asks Punjab governor to not sign summary seeking raise in MPAs' perks

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar to hold summary recommending an increase into salaries and perks of provincial legislators, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Governor Sarwar has been stopped to sign summary which would approve hike in salaries and privileges to provincial lawmakers, sources said.

The premier has directed to re-introduce the bill in the Punjab Assembly and immediate review on life-time facilities to the provincial lawmakers.

PM Khan opposed Punjab government’s decision for allotment of a residence to the chief minister for whole life. The premier suggests limiting the duration up to three months, sources added.

Read More: PM ‘disappointed’ over Punjab Assembly’s move for pay rise, privileges

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had expressed deep disappointment over the decision of Punjab Assembly which had passed a bill for increments in salaries and privileges to provincial lawmakers including the chief minister.

I am extremely disappointed by decision of Punjab Assembly to raise pays & privileges of MPAs, Ministers & esp CM. Once prosperity returns to Pak such a move cld be justified, but now, when we do not have resources to provide basic amenities to all our people, this is untenable

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 14, 2019

In his Twitter message, PM Khan said, he was ‘extremely disappointed by decision of Punjab Assembly’ regarding raise in salaries and privileges of the Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs), other minister and especially the chief minister.

Read More: Here is the pay slip of Prime Minister Imran Khan!

Continuing his sharp criticism against the provincial lawmakers, he termed the development as ‘ untenable’ move by legislators amid the deteriorated economic situation ‘ when we do not have resources to provide basic amenities to all our people’.

He added that the increase in perks and pays could only be justified when prosperity returns to the country.

On March 13, the Punjab Assembly had unanimously passed a bill increasing the salary, allowances, perks and privileges to each legislator.