KARACHI: Taking notice of media reports on the massive increase in the salaries of Sindh’s lawmakers, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has restrained Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah from implementing the order. Earlier in the day, the chief minister approved a summary to increase his own salary by more than 300 percent. The chief minister used to draw Rs 35000, which under the new summary was increased to Rs 150,000. The new house rent and maintenance allowances stood at Rs 140,000, official sources said. Taimur Talpur, a member of the Sindh Assembly, said former president Zardari had directed Shah not to implement the order due to the “country’s present economic situation”. Under the summary approved by the CM, the salary of the speaker was increased from Rs 80,000 to Rs 150,000. The deputy speaker will get Rs 140,000 instead of Rs 70,000, according to the new order. The salaries of ministers and advisers were also increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 75,000, excluding allowances. Published in Daily Times, October 15th 2017.