The 77th Deadweight

Who is Shehryar Ali Khan? He is the 77th Free-loader and sponger to join an already bloated cabinet of a country on the verge of a financial default, that cannot afford an extra Rupee, leave aside an extra Minister.

For doing nothing – which involves staying at home and watching TV, or appearing on TV to make many mindless conversations, or travel in free state provided flag cars when on ground and first class luxury when by air, for free boarding and lodging in 5 star hotels, for free office, staff, waiters, drivers, gardeners, security, for free medical and for numerous other free entitlements and non entitlements – this non-value adding bundle of idleness costs Pakistan about Rs 5 million per month. This translates into Rs 385 million for the 77 of them for a month and Rs 4.62 billion for one year. This is exactly the amount required to pay Rs.10,000 extra to compensate every one of the thousands of exploited sanitation worker of Pakistan, who are currently not being paid even their due minimum legal wage of Rs.25,000.

Pakistan could cut down its truckload of 77 most highly paid and pampered ministers, to fifteen or even lesser. What we do not need is a football field of crap. What we need is a small group of deeply committed selfless professionals.

Will Mr. Shehryar Ali Khan, as he drives down to take the oath of his office, please ask the sanitation worker on the street, “what is your salary and are you registered in EOBI or Social Security”. Will then, Mr. Shehryar Ali Khan standing next to the President, simply put down the oath documents, and politely utter, “Mr. President, it is a crime for any individual to loot an already pauper country. I regret I will not be the 77th dead wight on the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

Naeem Sadiq