A Pakistani-origin journalist on December 18 asked US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller for his comment on the recent increase in the salaries of Punjab assembly members and ministers.
Matthew Miller declined to comment on the development, saying: “We understand that the appropriate salary of government officials in Pakistan is a question for the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan, which the United States does not have to answer. We generally do not comment on the salary of government officials anywhere in the world. Of course, this will be our policy for Pakistan as well.”
On December 16, the Punjab Assembly approved a bill that sought to increase the salaries of its members exponentially. Effective January 1, the monthly pay for each Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) will rise to Rs400,000 from Rs76,000, according to Geo News.
The Punjab Revision of Salaries of Public Representatives 2024 bill was passed with a majority in a Monday Session, with Opposition leader, Ahmad Khan Bachar, raising objections over the bill.
However, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan defended the bill, calling it a step in the right direction as citizens suffer from high inflation.
“The perks, including salaries and allowances of the speaker, deputy speaker, MPAs, parliamentary secretaries, advisors, special assistants and ministers are governed by their respective laws, and every time a revision in their perks is needed, relevant laws were required to be amended by the Assembly,” the bill states.
The bill also proposed the increase of Provincial Assembly Speaker’s salary from Rs125,000 to Rs950,000.
As per the proposal, the salary of the deputy speaker will jump to Rs800,000 from Rs120,000; parliamentary secretary from Rs83,000 to Rs451,000; adviser to the CM from Rs100,000 to Rs665,000; special assistant to the CM from Rs100,000 to Rs665,000.
The journalist, in his question to the US State Department, mentioned: “Before coming to this briefing, a colleague told me that the salaries of ministers in Pakistan had been increased by 900 percent. Just a month ago, I asked the Finance Minister of Pakistan in Washington, DC that in a country where there is so much poverty, how can they come to America while staying in big hotels, with huge delegations and beg for money with a smile?”
Miller’s response remained curt: “United States does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including decisions on ministerial salaries, and that it is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to address such concerns.”