PTI to oppose bill seeking raise in Senators' salaries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to oppose a proposed bill in the Senate seeking a raise in the salaries of the members of the upper house of the Parliament, ARY NEWS reported.

The announcement was made by the PTI Senator Faisal Javed. He said that the prime minister has directed to adopt austerity measures and their top priority is the betterment of the poor segments of the society.

“The prime minister initiated the process of saving the national exchequer from himself as he currently resides at his personal residence and has minimized the PM office’ expenses to a historic low,” he said and added the foreign tours of the premier depicts the similar austerity measures adopted from the PTI-led government.

Faisal Javed said that unless the country’s economy stabilizes, the representatives of the masses should follow the path of the prime minister.

“The PTI senators will not become a part of any such move aimed at raising the salaries of the parliamentarians,” he said and announced that they would fully oppose the proposed bill.

In March 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed deep disappointment over the decision of Punjab Assembly which had passed a bill increasing salaries and privileges to the provincial lawmakers including the chief minister.

The prime minister’s regret forced the lawmakers to make minor changes to the bill aimed at raising the provincial lawmakers’ salaries.

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