Govt all set to extend MPs’ privileges to their family members

ISLAMABAD: The government is all set to allow spouses and children, up to 18 years, of all the members of Parliament to annually utilise 25 business class air tickets, which are primarily meant to facilitate the MPs to attend the session.

In addition to these 25 business class air tickets, every member of Parliament is also provided vouchers of the value of Rs300,000 every year to enable them to travel at any time without payment of any fare by PIA or Pakistan Railways.

A bill titled “The Member of Parliament (Salaries And Allowance) (Amendment) Bill, 2020” has already been tabled in the Senate and now referred to the Parliamentary Affairs Division for the Finance Ministry’s comment.

Government sources said that the bill, which was moved by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan in the Senate on June 5, may be passed as part of the finance bill. The bill seeks amendment to Section 10 of Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974.

Presently under the Section 10, every MP is provided during a year with such vouchers worth Rs300,000 to enable them to travel at any time without payment of any fare by PIA or by Pakistan Railways. Under the same section a member who does not wish to be provided with such a voucher, shall be paid an allowance, which bears the same proportion to the value of the vouchers he would have been entitled to.

According to the same section, in addition to the voucher facility, each MP is entitled to 25 business class open return air tickets from the airport nearest to his constituency to Islamabad.

The proposed amendment now seeks that the spouse and children up to 18 years of age of a member of parliament can also utilise these tickets for travelling within the country.

Sources said that the voucher facility is already utilised by the MPs for their family members but now the government through an amendment wants further extension of MP’s privilege to their family members at the cost of state expense.

Several months back some members of Parliament had moved in the Senate a bill seeking to increase up to 400 percent the salaries of Senate Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Speaker NA and Deputy Speaker and 100 percent raise for all MNAs and Senators besides seeking upward revision in travelling allowance for all MPs and their families.

The massive raises in their salaries and additional perks were being sought in view of the “price-hike and devaluation” which, according to the bill’s statement of objects and reasons, had affected the Chairman, Speaker, Deputy Chairman, Deputy Speaker and all members of Parliament “alongside general public”.

When The News broke the story of the bill before it was laid before the Senate, it made headlines in the media and triggered controversy, which led to the opposition of the bill in the Senate by the PTI, PML-N, PPP and other political parties.