Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif recently claimed on X (Twitter) that members of the National Assembly do not get free electricity and have to pay their own electricity bills.
The statement is true.
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On July 27, Asif posted on X: “Electricity is not free for MPs. I can show you my electricity bills for the last 35 years, which I paid from my own pocket.”
He also said that questions about whether judges or bureaucrats pay their own bills should be directed at them.
This post has garnered over 145,000 views and has been reposted over 900 times to date.
On the same day, Khawaja Saad Rafique, another senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), also claimed on X that no parliamentarian enjoys free electricity.
“Deputies, members of parliament and senators do not enjoy such privileges,” he wrote. “Those who live in the halls of parliament pay their own expenses, and if they do not, they cannot participate in elections.”
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MPs do not receive free electricity units, a federal minister, a Member of the National Assembly (MNA), a bureaucrat and the law that regulates the salaries and benefits of lawmakers have confirmed.
Rashid Mahmood Langrial, secretary of the energy division of the Ministry of Power, which oversees the generation, transmission and distribution of power, said Verification of geographic data that no parliamentarian receives free electricity. “Everyone pays [their] bills,” he added.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, also confirmed Verification of geographic data that MNAs do not get any power for free.
“Even government ministers don’t get free electricity,” he said. “We get normal bills like everyone else.”
Naz Baloch, a member of parliament from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), also verified this information.
“This is my second term in parliament and we have never been given that service nor do we want it,” he said. “In fact, we pay two electricity bills a month: one for our house and one for the other.” [government lodge] in Islamabad.”
Besides, Verification of geographic data Reviewed The The Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament Act 1974which describes the facilities offered to parliamentarians. Free electricity is also not provided for.
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