The law which was approved unanimously in lower house of the parliament over bonus and benefits of MPs after completion of their formal term sparked huge criticisms in social networks. Many critics this time angrily reacted to new law which would be implemented if Mr. President Karzai does not veto it. They used words such as shameful, atrocious, undignified and etc. to brand the unanimous move of members of lower house of the parliament.
Out of 125 MPs present in the parliament on Saturday, 117 voted for approval of the law ‘Protection and Rights of Parliamentarians.’ Based on this law, members of the parliament will be entitled to certain benefits and allowances during and after their 5-year term. After MPs term comes to an end, they will continue to receive 25% of their salary ($3,400) which becomes equivalent to 850 US dollar. And also government is obliged to provide them with two bodyguards and pay their salaries. Additionally, after an MP completes his or her term, he or she will continue to possess a political passport and his or her family will bear service passports. The law has four chapters and 20 articles containing other kinds of benefits for the parliamentarians.
The law is unanimously approved while over 60% of Afghan population is living below or slightly above the poverty line. Each year thousands of children lose their lives due to mal-nutrition. Afghanistan is still grabbed by serious political, social and economic challenges. The average salary of daily workers is only 300 AFN ($5US). In another word, when a daily worker work for a complete month which is impossible considering the grave condition of employment market, than he will earn only around 9,000 AFN ($157US)! In addition that daily worker has to feed his family by that money. Based on interviews made with daily workers who are standing from early morning till evening on square in big cities, some of them swore to Allah Almighty that they had not worked a single penny for weeks because the demand for labors is extremely low.
It can be easily observed that when a person comes among them for taking one or two labors, he is surrounded with tens of labors who are shouting in hope that he might take him and he earns to feed his starved child and wife.
In such economic condition, our respected MPs shamefully ask for such allowances. It was justifiable if their conditions were remotely similar to common civilians but they are not. During their term, they were engaged in legal or illegal business and accumulated huge wealth. Now they have luxurious cars which worth thousands of dollars and luxurious houses worth hundred thousands of US dollar.