Guest Post by Awab Alvi (Teeth Maestro)
I have recently come across a few interesting facts regarding the pay scale and fringe benefits enjoyed by each member of our National Assembly (here).
It is more than you might expect. Rs. 32,000,000 per MNA per year; or Rs.8,54,40,000,000 5,47,20,000,000 for all 534 342 MNAs for the 5 year tenure. Democracy, even cosmetic democracy, does not come cheap!
Pakistani MNA’s Salary and Government Perks
|
|
Monthly Salary
|
Rs. 120,000 to 200,000
|
Expense for Constitution per month
|
Rs.100,000
|
Office expenditure per month
|
Rs.140,000
|
Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km)
(For a visit to ISLAMABAD & return: 6000 km) |
Rs.48,000
|
Daily BETA during Assembly meets
|
Rs.500
|
Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train
(All over PAKISTAN) |
Free
Unlimited |
Charge for Business Class in flights
(With wife or P.A.) |
Free for 40
trips / year |
Rent for Govt hostel any where
|
Free
|
Electricity costs at home
|
Free up to 50,000 units
|
Local phone call charge
|
Free up to 1,70,000 calls.
|
TOTAL expense for a MNA per year
|
Rs.32,000,000
|
TOTAL expense for 5 years
|
Rs.1,60,000,000
|
For
|
Rs. 5,47,20,000,000 |
Keep in mind that these numbers are only the official estimates. You can imagine for yourself the unofficial sums easily acquired by a man in such a position.
Why are we wasting so much of money on a ghost assembly whose job is to do … NOTHING. They have no powers but quite simply play the game as it create a silver lining in their pockets both in terms of official perks and all the unofficial perks they
must be enjoying.
The current batch of 534 MNA’s have done nothing but bash their tables or quite often staging a walk-out in protest. I have occasionally had the displeasure to watch this circus on TV and it appears that these illiterate hooligans quite often simply don’t understand the issue at hand let alone comprehend its importance for its benefits or disadvantages on behalf which may impact the very constituents who elected him into office in the first place. (For earlier ATP posts on some interesting MNA behavior, see here and here).
Dr. Awab Alvi blogs as Teeth Maestro and is one of the people behind Help-Pakistan.com and Bloggers.pk.
I m from mumtaz abad Multan my message is for the present Govt officials specially to foreign minister SHAH MAHMOOD QURESHI please spend few days in Multan.
sir I am surprised to note such heavy costs on MNAS salary/perks but done northing. No legislation, regarding corruption eradication. Pakistan economy reached to its lowest Web. WHY? pti govt, must inquire, salary be reduced only HONORARIUM should be paid for the days remained sessession operative, to set the affaires in right perspectives.
All the data given for MNA is totally wrong. Every politician is serving the comman man. if they are serving then why they take salary and other remunerations. Both statements are in contradiction. so politicians serve people, don’t take salary sir.