Media reports, both print and social, about Annual Incomes of Politicians( PM Imran Khan, Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza, Asif Zardari and Bilawal) have raised many questions about this needless campaign against them. I fail to understand grumblings and complaints of these widows and orphans who pay With-Holding Tax of 15% to 17.5% on their monthly incomes ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 from investments in National Savings Center, although they live in less than five-marla houses. These people should stop buying luxury items and start living within their means. If PM Imran Khan with an annual income of Rs 4.7 Million in 2017 can live and maintain a house spread over 300 Kanals, what are these people complaining about? Former CM Shahbaz, Hamza, Zardari and Bilawal have declared their annual income in 2017 as Rs10 Million, Rs25.4 Million, Rs 134 Million and Rs 180 Million.

Our PM refused to pay 5% regularisation fee ordered by Supreme Court of Pakistan for irregularities in the modest Bani Gala house because he could not afford such hefty penalty and judiciary was kind to reduce it to 2.5%, payable in instalments. People of Pakistan must adopt austerity measures announced by our PM who is the epitome of integrity, nobility and humility.

Citizens of Pakistan must continue to sacrifice so that our paid public office holders, both civil and military, can live with grace in houses given to them by the state at the time of retirement for services rendered to the nation. If these gentlemen and women were not given subsidised residential and commercial plots, they would not be able to survive on their meagre pensions ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs 3 Lakh per month only, nor be able to play in subsidised Golf Courses or visit clubs built for them. Ordinary citizens must learn to sacrifice silently.

Gul Zaman,

Peshawar.