MPs live like royalty, but people are poor’

25 March 2012 ISLAMABAD .The lifestyle of Pakistani

parliamentarians is like that of royalty and in stark contrast to that

of “the vast majority of the people have to deal with the much

harsher realities of poverty, inflation and a struggle to put food on

the table”, said a leading daily.
An editorial in Dawn newspaper on Saturday said: “Every year we

view the statements of our parliamentarians’ assets with a

mixture of amusement, disbelief and frustration, perhaps

because those who represent the people of Pakistan live

luxurious lives worlds away from the misery that confronts the

public.”

It said that considering the immense wealth of many of the

elected representatives, “it is not out of place to compare their

lifestyles with those of royalty”.

“While many parliamentarians are living the good life, the vast

majority of the people of this country have to deal with the much

harsher realities of poverty, inflation and a struggle to put food on

the table,” it said.

The daily cited the example of the Balochistan minister for home

and tribal affairs who owns over 24,000 acres of land. “While

some very wealthy lawmakers represent the country’s most

underdeveloped province, parliamentarians from the other

provinces are also doing quite well.

“A number of lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly

own assets worth tens of millions of rupees while Sindh’s food

minister owns assets worth over Rs1.5 billion. Legislators in

these three assemblies own considerable stashes of gold, silver

and precious stones, while several own real estate in the US,

Britain, Canada and Dubai.”

Stating that there is nothing wrong with making or having money,

the editorial said: “...the electorate needs to know if the income

their representatives possess is legitimate and if tax has been

paid on it”. “The declaration of assets is a positive thing, yet we

need to move a step ahead and analyse if these assets are

lawful and taxed,” it added.

“Elected representatives must set an example by assuring the

people that their sources of income are legitimate and that they

pay their fair share of taxes. Such steps are essential for

transparency, good governance and a healthy democracy,” said

the editorial.