Silent sacrifice

Media reports, both print and social, about the annual incomes of politicians have raised many questions. I fail to understand the grumblings and complaints of those widows and orphans who pay withholding tax of 15 percent to 17.5 percent on their monthly income ranging from Rs3,000 to Rs10,000 from investments in the National Savings Center, although they live in houses smaller than 5 marlas. These people should stop buying luxury items and start living within their means. If PM Imran Khan with an annual income of Rs4.7 million in 2017 can live and maintain a house spread over 300 kanals, what are these people complaining about? Shahbaz, Hamza, Zardari and Bilawal have declared their annual income in 2017 as Rs10 million, Rs25.4 million, Rs134 million and Rs180 million respectively.

The citizens of Pakistan must continue to sacrifice so that our paid public office holders, both civil and uniformed, can live with grace in houses given to them by the state for services rendered to nation. If these gentlemen and women were not given subsidized residential and commercial plots they would not be able to survive nor be able to play in subsidized golf courses. Common citizens must learn to sacrifice silently.

Gull Zaman

Peshawar