Austerity plans?

The outrageous raise in the salaries of Punjab Assembly members has left people bewildered. The increase is completely out of proportion and shocking for sensibilities of a nation where many live below the poverty line. More surprising: almost all the members accepted the raise with aplomb without any difference of opinion, which is not the usual case in other political matters. Haven’t we witnessed assembly members grappling with each other and sometimes coming at each other’s throats?

The tremendous increase in members’ salaries is mind-boggling for taxpayers when an MPA’s salary increased from Rs76,000 to Rs400,000 per month. This newspaper highlighted how the salaries of senior political dignitaries were raised: “A minister’s pay will increase from Rs100,000 to Rs960,000 and for the Punjab Assembly speaker, it will increase from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000. The salary of the deputy speaker will jump to Rs800,000 from Rs120,000; parliamentary secretary from Rs83,000 to Rs451,000; adviser to the CM from Rs100,000 to Rs665,000; special assistant to the CM from Rs100,000 to Rs665,000.”

In a meeting, the speakers of the provincial assemblies demanded an increase in their salaries and other benefits. They also asked for their salaries and benefits to be at par with the high court judges and exempt from tax. Austerity, anyone?

Parliamentarians in our country are a pampered class. They live in the parliamentary lodges in Islamabad and sit in large comfortable sofas in the assembly hall. Some of them doze off and snore because of too much comfort. Compare their state with the House of Commons in London, quoted as the mother of parliaments, where some members simply stand at the back to attend the session due to shortage of seats.

The lower middle class and the poor of the nation are justified to believe that society stands divided between the proverbial haves’ and have-nots without any change over the years. For instance, in 2023, the caretaker government in Punjab sanctioned Rs2.34 billion to buy new vehicles for the bureaucrats of the province. It was during the time the nation was facing the economic crunch when innumerable Pakistanis were sweating to feed their children or pay their school fees.

Imagine, according to the plan, assistant commissioners were to be provided with Revo double cabins four-wheel drive. Vehicles under their use previously were to be issued to tehsildars. Additional deputy commissioners of each district were given new Toyota Yaris and additional commissioners of each division given Corolla Altis, which is top of the line in the Toyota series and each costs a fortune. Besides the new vehicles, free fuel and chauffeurs would be provided as usual. When these officers move on the roads followed by security guards, the people are least impressed by their ostentatious lifestyle at their expense. No wonder then that the country had been on the verge of economic collapse until the IMF loan was sanctioned.

True to her family background, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz is proving herself as a promising go-getter. She, however, needs to set her priorities right. She may pay more attention to develop rural areas by setting up industrial parks in the large barren stretches of districts Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh to create employment for the poor rural folks who move to big cities to seek jobs. They overcrowd cities and exert pressure on civic amenities.

The chief minister could consider setting up a new city on the infertile and rocky land between Bhera and Kalar Kahar mountain range. The location has motorway access, Chenab river nearby and pleasant weather. A university could be set up there, which would automatically attract students and work force to develop into a city. Our University Town in Peshawar is one such example. Even in the US, cities sprang up where universities were set up. CM Maryam will leave a legacy behind if she decides to consider the proposal.

The writer is a freelance columnist based in Lahore. He can be reached at: [email protected]