In solidarity

Hat's off to President Dr Arif Alvi for having the vision, courage and audacity to reduce the President House annual budget from Rs992 million for the outgoing fiscal year 2019-20 to a proposed Rs597 million for 2020-21, which is an astonishing 60.18 percent reduction. During these current times of the coronavirus pandemic, locust attacks and spiralling economy, this gesture on the part of President Alvi is noble indeed. Further, the budget document reveals that the president may not draw a salary in FY 2020-21, though this head of expenditure stood at Rs10.75 million in FY 2019-20. This is also admirable.

May I request our prime minister, provincial governors, chief ministers, the entire federal and provincial cabinets, the Supreme Court, the high courts, and all serving military & civil service officers of the rank of BS-19 and above to kindly consider making deep cuts in your salaries, benefits, and administrative expenses, at least for the next 6-12 months in 'solidarity' with the people of this struggling nation, as we try to come to grapple with so many issues. We all owe our part and helping hand to resurrect Quaid's beloved Pakistan.

Abbas R Siddiqi

Lahore