Pak President declares salary waiver amid economic crisis in country

Amid the economic crisis in Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Tuesday his decision to forgo his salary while in office, reported The Express Tribune.

“In view of the prevailing economic challenges, President Zardari has decided that he will not draw his presidential salary. He took this decision to encourage prudent financial management in the country,” said a statement released by the President’s Secretariat.

President Zardari considered it necessary not to burden the national exchequer and chose to forgo his salary, the statement added. Zardari is the 14th President of Pakistan. On March 10 he was sworn in. Zardari is co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He has taken over as the head of the state for a historic second time, reported Dawn. Earlier, he served as President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Zardari got 411 electoral votes. He defeated his opponent and chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who could only get 181 votes.

At the President’s House in Islamabad, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to Zardari. Newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing President Arif Alvi were present during the oath-taking ceremony.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, PPP Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza were also present.