Perks for lawmakers.

THE unanimous approval by a Senate panel of a bill extending the facility of free business class domestic air travel to the family members of parliamentarians is not only shocking but also an insult to the millions of poor who have just lost their jobs owing to the economic shock of the Covid-19 outbreak. The explanation given by Farooq Naek, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, that the changes made in the Members of Parliament (Salary and Allowances) Act, 1974, are merely procedural and will not be an additional burden on the exchequer doesn't hold ground and is unacceptable in the prevalent economic situation. The changes in the act, for example, allow the family members of all parliamentarians to avail 25 unutilised business class domestic air tickets in addition to annual travel vouchers of Rs300,000. Under the amended act, a parliamentarian not interested in using vouchers will be paid an allowance equivalent to the entitled value of the vouchers. Also, the tickets or vouchers will not have an expiry date.

It would have been much better...

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