Can Pakistan’s Poor Afford to Pay for the Luxuries of the Powerful?

July 7, 2025: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has condemned the recent increase in perks and privileges granted to the speaker and ministers of Punjab, calling the move “disgraceful” and “exploitative” as millions of Pakistanis suffer under growing economic hardship.

According to Dawn, the new privileges—disguised as “leave allowance”—have sparked sharp backlash from the opposition. PTI Punjab media cell head Shayan Bashir issued a scathing statement on Saturday, criticizing the ruling elite for rewarding themselves while ignoring the dire state of the general public.

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“The people are being crushed under the burden of inflation, unemployment, and unbearable electricity bills,” Bashir told Dawn. “And while families are pushed to the brink of suicide, the indifferent elite continue to enjoy luxuries through illegitimate power.”

He also pointed to the crumbling state of public services, particularly healthcare. “Patients in Punjab are forced to share hospital beds like animals due to lack of basic supplies,” he said.

Bashir accused the provincial leadership of coming to power through undemocratic means and now misusing it for personal gain. “This is the ugliest form of an exploitative system where public office is used to drain the nation’s resources,” he added.

The PTI vowed to resist all laws that benefit the ruling elite at the cost of the people’s welfare. “Every anti-people bill will be challenged, and every looter of public wealth will be exposed,” Bashir asserted.

In Pakistan, systemic corruption and elite privilege continue to thrive, even as the majority of citizens face devastating economic conditions. With inflation surging and basic services failing, critics argue that leaders are prioritizing personal gain over public good, further deepening inequality and eroding democratic accountability.