Although the newly elected leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) seem to insist on lowering expenditures by ending costly protocols to cabinet members, heavy perks and privileges are ready for the upcoming new Sindh cabinet members that will likely take oath in the days to come. Furthermore, authorities at provincial level have claimed that there were no plans to curtail the expenditures to support national and provincial kitties.
After the general elections held on May 11, the PML-N had been insisting on austerity measures to help run the affairs of the cash-strapped country. The perks and privileges of federal as well as the provincial ministers of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab had been remarkably reduced to overcome the financial crisis, while the Sindh authorities have been showing reluctance to reduce the salaries and other financial incentives. According to sources, each minister in Sindh will be paid Rs 30,000 salary per month, Rs 39,000 as house rent, Rs 9,000 sumptuary allowance, Rs 5,000 equipment allowance, Rs 300,000 discretionary grant per year, free medical, including their entire family, two telephone lines each at office and at residence with unlimited calls, an official vehicle maintained at government’s expense with no fuel limit, Rs 100,000 for furnishing the government office and Rs 60,000 for furnishing private residence and Rs 300,000 compensation in case of air accident.
Moreover, a minister traveling on official duty within the country would be treated as a government servant of first grade and be entitled to first class airfare. The minister would be paid in foreign exchange while holidaying abroad, the sources said. The advisor, who has the status of provincial minister, will get Rs 20,000 monthly salary, Rs 22,000 house rent, Rs 5,000 sumptuary allowance, Rs100,000 discretionary grant per year, free medical including family of the advisor, two telephone lines each at office (with no limit) and at residence with 2,000 calls, an official vehicle maintained at government’s expense with no fuel limit, Rs 100,000 for furnishing government office and Rs 60,000 for furnishing private residence and Rs 300,000 compensation in case of air accident. Other facilities were the same as provided to the ministers, sources said. Interestingly, the special assistant to the chief minister will also be entitled to enjoy all facilities being provided to the advisor. “A leader who contests elections with heavy spending does not need any vehicle, perks and privileges. However if he or she requires them, what should we say”, PML-N leader in the Sindh Assembly Irfanullah Marwat told Pakistan Today.
“In the current budget, at least Rs 120 billion under the Annual Development Program (ADP) has been earmarked under the power of the chief minister who could use the huge funds at his own disposal. That promotes the corruption”, he added.
PML-F MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi told Pakistan Today that the PML-N leadership had taken several bold steps to take country out of present crisis however the PPP had not learnt from its service delivery in the past five years. “The bureaucracy must take decision to overcome misuse of financial resources by the cabinet ministers,” she added. “The culture of VIP protocols must be ended forthwith as a large number of law enforcers are deputed for security and household services of the PPP leaders,” she said. Pakistan Today repeatedly tried to contact Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon to seek his comments but he was unavailable for comments.
