ISLAMABAD: Amid the country’s fragile economic situation, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi have decided to forgo their monthly salaries.

According to the Presi­dent Office, Mr Zardari will not draw his presidential salary. “He took this decision to encourage prudent financial management in the country,” an official press release issued by the Presidency said on Tuesday.

The president considered it essential not to burden the national exchequer and preferred to forgo his salary.

Later, President Zard­ari flew to Karachi as a first visit to any part of the cou­ntry after assuming charge of his office on Sunday.

In Karachi, he procee­ded to Mazar-i-Quaid where he laid a floral wreath to pay respect to the father of the nation, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

He will also visit the mausoleum of his wife and former prime minister Ben­azir Bhutto and PPP fou­nder Zulfikar Ali Bhu­tto at Gari Khuda Bakhsh.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has also announced that he would forego his salary.

According to the interior ministry, Mr Naqvi will not get his monthly salary during his tenure as minister.

Making an announcement on X, formerly Twi­tter, the interior minister said: “In this challenging time, he is committed to support and serving the nation in every possible way.”

Earlier, he had a meeting with lawyers’ community in Lahore in a simple gathering organised in his honor at a local hotel.

Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ahsan Bhawan, federal Minister of Law Senator Azam Nazir Tarar and the officials of Pakistan and Punjab Bar Councils attended the meeting.

Advocate General Punjab and officials of various bar associations also participated in the function.

Representatives of the legal fraternity hailed Mr Naqvi’s performance as chief minister of Punjab. They said his pace of work excelled at every level as he completed public projects within a short period of time.

They congratulated Mr Naqvi on his appointment as a federal minister and expressed good wishes.

The minister said he would do his best to fulfill the responsibility that he had been assigned.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2024