Khawaja Asif criticises salary hike for top lawmakers

KARACHI: PML-N leader and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday publicly criticised the sharp increase in salaries and perks for parliamentary officeholders, calling it “financial obscenity”.

In his post published on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Asif said, “The massive increase in the salaries and financial perks of the speaker, deputy speaker, Senate chairperson and deputy chairperson falls under the category of financial obscenity. Please keep the life of the common man in mind -- our honour and dignity are all owed to him.”

The government has approved a more than fivefold increase in the salaries of the Senate chairperson and the National Assembly speaker taking it to Rs1.3 million a month. According to news reports, the officials will also receive 50 per cent of the revised salary (Rs650,000) as the sumptuary allowance. Asif’s post on X sparked both praise and irony-laced reactions. While some lauded the PML-N leader’s bold stance against the government’s move, others dismissed it as symbolic, coming from a senior figure within the ruling coalition.

Social media users were also quick to point out that the budget presented under the PML-N government announced no increase in the minimum wage, criticising the government’s lack of willingness to provide substantial relief to ordinary people.