Sanjrani dares critics to prove single rupee raise in his salary, perks

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has clarified that not a single rupee raise has been approved in his salary, perks and privileges, regretting that parliamentarians backtrack on their position in the face of media hype on any issue.

In a talk with a private news channel, Sanjrani said he was challenging his critics to prove if he had sought even a single rupee raise in his salary.

He was replying to a question about a controversial bill, passed by the Senate, proposing lifetime full security detail of at least 10 persons to all the former Senate chairmen. The bill also proposed the government to bear the travel expenses of their domestic staff as well as family members, and its approval is currently pending with the National Assembly.

The Senate chairman defended the bill, saying that the law was meant to put things in order and address audit issues, claiming that the perks and privileges proposed in the bill would not put any additional burden on the national exchequer.

Sadiq Sanjrani said that he had never claimed any travel allowances or daily allowances, saying that he and his wife personally bore the expenses of their household. He said he was ready for accountability, and an audit should be ordered. He said if any wrongdoing was proven on his part in the audit, he would step down as the Senate chairman.

Sanjrani said the Senate chairman enjoyed a prestigious position, and if the country’s situation improves, the head of the upper house of parliament should be entitled to 10 planes instead of just one.

It was suggested that the Senate chairman was purchasing a plane, he said adding that he firmly believed that when Pakistan achieves prosperity and it effectively addresses people’s issues, then the chairman should get 10 planes instead of just one.

He emphasised that people’s representatives should be given all perks so that they could work more dedicatedly. Giving them no perks and privileges was like forcing them to indulge in wrongdoings. There are several senators who relied only on their salaries.

However, the Public Accounts Committee and the PPP leadership criticised the proposed law, arguing that it would burden an already troubled economy.

Saleem Mandviwala, former deputy chairman and Chief Whip of PPP in the Senate, says that the leadership of his party was very upset over the passing of the bill in the Senate. Talking to BBC Urdu, he said after the bill was passed by the Senate, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari called him and scolded him on how he passed the bill to increase the privileges of chairman Senate.

According to Saleem Mandviwala, he told the former president that since he was looking after the budget matters, he could not pay attention to it. He said even his party members did not take him into confidence in getting the bill passed.

It should be noted that two former Senate chairmen, Raza Rabbani and Farooq H Naek, were involved in presenting the bill and getting it passed. Both belong to the PPP.

Mandviwala said the country was in a difficult situation and the government had no money to help the flood victims, while on the other hand, bills enhancing perks and privileges of the Senate chairmen and members were being approved.