The dispute between National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif over lawmakers’ salary increases has intensified, sparking renewed debate on the issue.
According to sources, after coming under public criticism from Khawaja Asif, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq formally addressed the matter in a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In his letter, Sadiq clarified that he neither proposed nor supported any salary hike. He emphasized that decisions regarding lawmakers’ salaries rest solely with the federal cabinet and the prime minister, and that he has no role or interest in such matters.
The controversy started when Defence Minister Asif accused Ayaz Sadiq of approving his own salary increase to Rs2.1 million and then shifting blame by suggesting the decision was made elsewhere.
Asif argued that public representatives should refrain from adopting lavish lifestyles, underlining that leadership demands personal restraint, especially in financial matters.
