Bill moved in KP Assembly to raise perks & privileges of ministers

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday moved a bill in the provincial assembly seeking an increase in monetary benefits for cabinet members.

Law Minister Aftab Alam moved the bill in the House that seeks an increase in salaries, allowances and other benefits for the ministers.

The bill suggests Rs1 million for ministers for renovation of the official residences.

The ministers will receive Rs200,000 per month in the head of rent if they opt to live in their own houses instead of availing the official residences.

The ministers, who have not been provided official residences, will receive Rs200,000 per month as rent.

The bill for added benefits drew criticism from the opposition which said the move belied the oft-repeated claims made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. “How they [PTI lawmakers] will face their own party workers. Where is the PTI manifesto?” asked opposition leader Dr Ibadullah Khan, who is from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Flaying the PTI government for the bill, he advised the PTI legislators to first make serious efforts to bring their leader – Imran Khan – out of jail instead of securing more perks and privileges for themselves. Dr Ibad Khan, who has been elected from Shangla district and is the younger brother of Federal Minister Amir Muqam, said the PTI government had contradictory policies. “The provincial government on the one hand cries over the financial crunch while on the other hand is looting the exchequer,” he said while coming down hard on the government for increasing the house rent for ministers from Rs70,000 to Rs200,000.

Meanwhile, the House passed two other resolutions, one about the revival of Pak-Afghan trade and the other about the rules for water distribution among the provinces. MPA Arbab Usman of the Awami National Party moved the resolution that called for revival of the Pak-Afghan trade. He said the president’s barriers had affected the large population on both sides of the border. MPA Samiullah Khan of PTI moved the resolution about the Indus River System (IRSA) Authority. The resolution said there was no need to change the mode of distribution of water among the provinces in the presence of IRSA. It said the KP government would resist if an attempt was made to change the rules.