KABUL - Some high-ranking government officials are paid $30,000 (1.65 million afghanis) to $50,000 in monthly salary by Afghan and foreign organizations, the minister of justice told parliamentarians on Wednesday.

Habibullah Ghalib said this while briefing the Wolesi Jirga on draft laws regarding the expenses and privileges of the president and other senior government figures. However, he did not go into details.

Many government employees, who are excluded from the so-called pay and grading system, receive about 3,000 afs a month.

Ghalib said the government, in an attempt to bring balance to salaries, had decided to enact two laws regarding the perks and privileges of the president and other top officials.

Additionally, he added, the proposed measures would help the Ministry of Justice save some money that could be utilized under other heads.

Parliamentarian Ramazan Bashardost said the draft laws envisaged 487,500 afs in pay for the president, 276,000 afs for the vice-president, 227,500 afs for the speaker, 151,000 afs for an MP and 195,000 for a minister.

He hit out at the proposed measures, saying the president was currently drawing 97,500 afs a month. He opposed hefty salaries for government employees.

After Ghalib’s speech, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Humayun Aziz handed the drafts to Speaker Abdur Rauf Ibrahimi. The 18 parliamentary panels would thoroughly debate the drafts before they were presented to the lower house, Ibrahimi said. (Pajhwok)