ISLAMABAD – Refuting the impression that the parliamentarians were aware of the state of the economy, the lawmakers demanded on Wednesday of the government to increase their privileges and also allot them residential plots in the capital.
Speaking on a point of order, MNA Kashmala Tariq expressed resentment over cancellation of entitlement to the parliamentarians in hospital for provision of medical facility to their parents. She said parliamentarians were being asked to pay Rs 10, 00, 000 to get membership in Islamabad Club as against to Rs 50, 000-100, 000 for government officers.
Endorsing Kashmala’s viewpoint, Khawaja Asif said that the bureaucrats were enjoying more privileges than the parliamentarians, adding that media should publish records of assets of government officers also. Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza citing to some media reports about extravagant expenditures incurred on parliamentarians said there must not be mud-slinging, saying a lawmaker was getting less salary than his/her counterparts all over the world.
The speaker said that being sovereign the house could amend rules and privileges for the parliamentarians. Chief Whip of PPP in the National Assembly and Federal Minister for Labour Manpower Syed Khurshid Shah said the all demands, except the plots, were genuine. He said Pakistani parliamentarian be given facilities at par with those given in neighbouring countries.
Qudsia Irshad of the PML-N demanded of the government that the parliamentarians should be allotted plots in the capital. Nadeem Afzal Chan and Noor Alam Khan of PPP also demanded increase in their perks and privileges. The house passed the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Bill 2010.
