Govt To Introduce Bill For Curtailing President, PM's Perks & Privileges: Dr Zaheer-ud-din Babar Awan

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Zaheer-ud-din Babar Awan on Thursday said the government was poised to table a bill in the National Assembly (NA) to reduce the perks and privileges of president and prime minister

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2020 ) :Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Zaheer-ud-din Babar Awan on Thursday said the government was poised to table a bill in the National Assembly (NA) to reduce the perks and privileges of president and prime minister.

"The bill is already on the NA's agenda," he said while talking to APP here outside the Parliament House.

He said the bill had been drafted on the instruction of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was in fact a practical demonstration of his austerity drive. "He is the first prime minister in the history of Pakistan who has taken practical steps to save public money." With enactment of new law, very important persons (VIPs) would no more enjoy life on the state's expense, which ultimately would save millions of rupees, he added.

Dr Babar Awan said the bill would abolish a clause which allowed the president and the prime minister to declare unlimited houses as their personal residences or camp offices in multiple cities.

The two dignitaries would be entitled to have only one accommodation along with the official one, he added.

He said the presidents and prime ministers of past regimes had designated their personal residences as camp offices in different cities and spent public money in terms of utility bills, security, food and salaries of their employees.

The advisor said the government had taken a historical step by enacting laws related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It would help Pakistan come out from the FATF's Grey-list, he hoped.

Dr Babar Awan said after introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020, nobody could transfer money abroad through illegal means. It would help check terrorism by curbing its financing. The opposition had opposed the anti-money laundering bill for their vested interests.

He said the government could set up tribunals for health reforms after approval of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Bill. The approval of Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020 would enable the government to retrieve the Waqf properties, he added.