Khawaja Asif slams salary hike for Speaker, Senate Chairman as ‘financial obscenity’

In a rare moment of public dissent from within the federal cabinet, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has fiercely criticised the recent hike in salaries and perks for top parliamentary officeholders, branding the move as “financial obscenity.”

Taking to social media and later speaking to reporters, the senior minister denounced the substantial increase in the remuneration packages for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, as well as the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Senate.

“This kind of extravagant raise in salaries and financial incentives is nothing short of financial obscenity,” Asif said. “We must keep the life of the common man in mind. In a time when the public is grappling with inflation, such elite indulgence is indefensible.”

سپیکر ،ڈپٹی سپیکر چیئرمین سینیٹ، ڈپٹی چیئرمین سینیٹ کی تنخواہ میں اور مالی مراعات میں بے تحاشہ اضافہ مالی فحاشی کے زمرے میں آتا ھے۔ عام آدمی کی زندگی کو ذہن میں رکھیں ھماری تمام عزت آبرو اسکی مرھون منت ھے۔۔

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 11, 2025

While reaffirming his respect for the high offices of the Speaker and Chairman Senate, Asif stressed that symbolic leadership must also reflect restraint. “All our respect and honour are due to them, but leadership is about setting an example,” he added.