I still remember my first job
in an IT office where I was appointed on 6000 per month salary. I was a bit
excited and I did my best there to get a handsome increment in a year. After a
hard work and spending days and nights to prove my metals in the company
throughout the year, I was called on, my heartbeats went high and at the peak of
ecstasy, I entered in the room of my boss where he welcomed me with his warmed
greetings. Before I went to the room, I had made various plans that what and
what I would do after getting my increment. It also had occurred in my mind that
since I had done all of my tasks with flying colors, I might get 100% increment
in my salary. Anyhow, I was there in front of my boss and he was praising for my
efforts throughout the year. After all of his praise, he passed an appraisal
letter to me and I presumed that he had passed a blank cheque to me.
My all plans got ruined and my all hopes perished when I saw the letter in which
I was given a big appraisal of small Rs: 1000. My salary had become 7000 then
and since I had no courage to argue on this with the boss, I came to my seat and
started doing my work with the hope that I would be given a big appraisal next
time.
I’m sure this is not the case only with me; it would be the story of many
employees like me whose weaknesses and compulsions become the strength of their
employers. They sacrifice with their health, their family, their friends, and
their youth and give everything to their work yet they get nothing. You may have
heard many times that whenever an employee makes his nerves strong goes directly
to his boss to discuss about his low salary or increment, he comes back with a
bewildered face after listening some lame excuses by the boss.
I still remember the day when one of my friends was denied to get bonus from his
company because of loss in business and the same day he went Golf Club to get
the membership of his boss renewed.
Here, you can say that there are many organizations which do care about their
employees and where employees are treated with handsome salaries and adequate
increments. But, have you seen any organization that has got immense debts, that
is going in huge losses and still it offers its employees gigantic increments
and bonuses? If you haven’t, here I introduce you an organization that has done
this remarkable work this year. It is our “Pakistan”.
On Thursday, 24 November, 2016, the state minister for Information and
Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb announced around 150% increment in the salaries
of the parliamentarians of Pakistan. She added that that was not possible for
ministers to go on with their low salaries (Rs: 60, 996 per month). Therefore,
government then had decided to make each parliamentarian’s salary at least Rs:
150,000 plus allowances per month. Two questions come up here; can Pakistan
really afford this kind of increment? Do our parliamentarians really deserve
this extraordinary increment?
If it is talked about Pakistan, everyone knows about the debts the country owes.
We as a nation owe more than 22 trillion rupees and every citizen of Pakistan
owes more than Rs 100, 000 in it. A country that is suffering from these huge
debts and liabilities can really afford this kind of increment? Or the
government will take some more loans now to increase its ministers’ salaries, to
buy some new bomb poof cars, to buy helicopters for chief ministers, or to
renovate the bathrooms of the Prime Minister house?
Won’t Sohail Warraich say now, “Kia Ye Khula Tazaad Nai?”
Or
Will Khuwaja Asif say,”Koi Sharam Hoti h, Koi Haya Hoti h”
If we talk about the deservedness of our ministers, during some last years, none
of the ministers have done any extraordinary (they even don’t do their ordinary
work) work that they should be given this huge increment.
Has Khuwaja Asif made a high speed rail in Pakistan that he has been given this
increment? Has Sartaj Aziz removed the tag of terrorism with the name of
Pakistan that he has been given this increase? What on earth have these
ministers done?
Imagine our ministers as employees and our prime minister, Nawaz Shareef as a
boss. What would have he said? He must have said,
” Ok folks, I’m impressed with your consistent poor performance and rising
corruption. Here you go with you 146% increment,”
Almost all of the ministers in our parliament are from upper or I should say
from elite class and I still can’t understand that how come they can ask for
increment their salaries. Most of them have their own businesses and the salary
from the parliament should be tantamount to pennies for them.
If you look for the cheapest canteen throughout in Pakistan, your finding will
end at the canteen of the parliament. Will there be any other good example of
“Dichotomy” that the richest people of the country are served with the cheapest
yet quality food?”
Anyhow, all of our criticism will be shut up with a single word, “Democracy”.
This is our democracy that compels common people to live hand to mouth on their
daily wages of Rs: 300 to 500 and this is the democracy that facilitates its
ministers with every luxury. In short, I would say this is the democracy that
makes us to sacrifice leaders like Raheel Shareef!