Lahore [Pakistan], July 7 : The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has strongly condemned the recent increase in privileges for the speaker and ministers of Punjab, calling it an outrageous move at a time when the public is reeling under economic stress. According to a Dawn report, the perks were approved under the pretext of leave allowance, triggering sharp criticism from opposition figures.
Dawn reported that Shayan Bashir, the head of PTI's media cell in Punjab, issued a statement on Saturday, declaring the move "disgraceful" given the current plight of the common people. He told Dawn that the population is being "crushed" under the weight of soaring inflation, joblessness, and skyrocketing electricity bills--issues so severe that they are driving many to the brink of suicide.
"The indifferent elite continue to enjoy the luxuries of illegitimate power," Bashir said, as quoted by Dawn. He described the privilege hikes as the "ugliest form of an exploitative system" where public office is used to bleed the nation dry.
He went on to highlight the grim condition of public hospitals in Punjab, stating that many lack even basic medical supplies and equipment. "Patients are being forced to share beds like animals," he said.
Dawn reported that Bashir accused the current Punjab leadership of having seized power through undemocratic means and now rewarding themselves with unjustified benefits.
The PTI leader pledged that his party would resist all legislation designed to favor the ruling elite at the expense of the general population. "Every bill that goes against the people's welfare will be challenged, and every looter of the nation's wealth will be exposed on every platform," stated Bashir.
In Pakistan, politicians continue to exploit the public by prioritising personal gains over national welfare. While citizens suffer from rising inflation, unemployment, and unaffordable utilities, the ruling elite enjoy increased privileges and luxurious benefits. Essential public services, especially healthcare, remain underfunded, leaving patients in dire conditions. The system empowers a few to enrich themselves through illegitimate means, disregarding the struggles of ordinary people. Rather than addressing urgent social and economic crises, those in power pass self-serving legislation. This deepens inequality and erodes democratic accountability, allowing exploitation and corruption to persist unchecked while the nation's most vulnerable are left behind.