Imran receives almost Rs3m annually from ‘cursed’ parliament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has cursed the same parliament which paid him almost Rs3 million annual salary even after attending only two out of 102 days of the National Assembly sittings in the parliamentary year 2016-17.

Interestingly, Imran Khan has not only been receiving his salary and other perks and privileges without even attending the NA session but he even received his 10-month salary from August 2014 to June 2015.

The PTI chairman and his MNAs remained absent from the Lower House for 10 months during the time of sit-in and when they submitted their resignations. Each PTI legislator received Rs850,000 as salary, daily allowances and perks and privileges, which were transferred to their accounts.

Imran Khan’s PTI has a total of 32 members in the Lower House. If every member gets Rs3 million annual salary, the total amount paid to the PTI stands at Rs96 million annually. Similarly, the party has seven members in the Senate whose salary is equal to the MNAs, which means they have been paid Rs21 million salary annually. Overall, the PTI parliamentarians have been paid almost Rs117 million salary just in one year.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was among the parliamentarians who are least bothered to attend parliament sessions. According to the National Assembly’s fourth parliamentary year, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan were among the leaders whose attendance was the lowest. Nawaz Sharif attended only six sittings whereas Imran Khan attended only two sittings of the Lower House.

It is important to note here that the KP Assembly, which is also part of parliament, comprises 61 members of PTI. Each member, according to media, reports receives almost Rs150,000 a month, including perks and privileges. The 61 PTI parliamentarians receive salary worth almost Rs9 million a month and annually Rs108 million.

Awami Muslim League’s Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed who also has cursed parliament receives an average Rs300,000 a month as salary and other perks and privileges including the session allowance, travelling allowance, telephone, office maintenance and other allowances.

In November 2016, the federal cabinet approved a staggering increase of up to 146 percent in the salary of members of parliament from Rs60,996 to Rs150, 000. Since 2016, the parliamentarians have received two increments in their basic salary up to 10 percent each time.

According to Member of Parliament (Salary and Allowances) Act 1974), a member of National Assembly is entitled to Rs7,000 daily allowance during the National Assembly sitting under Section-4. Similarly, the MNA is also paid Rs8,000 a month for office maintenance under Section 11-A and Rs10,000 a month under Section 11.

The parliamentarians under Section 4 of the Member of Parliament (Salary and Allowances) Act 1974 are also entitled to Rs10 per kilometer for travelling by road, Rs300,000 free travelling voucher and 20 business class return air tickets convertible for the members of family.