ISLAMABAD: Parliamentarians of all parties demanded an increase in their salaries and allowances, and said that 71 percent of them were either “poor” or belonged to the middle class, so an increase in salaries was their right. This unanimous demand was made in the National Assembly Standing Committee for Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Mian Abdul Manan, at the Parliament House on Friday. In a predictable display of unity, members of the committee said they were ready to face criticism by the media and civil society, but their salaries and allowances should be equal to those of federal secretaries, judges of the high courts and provincial inspectors general of police. The members said their basic salary was just Rs 36,000 per month. They said that even the salary of a computer typist of the National Assembly was more than theirs. According to warrants of precedent, their salary must be equal to those of federal secretaries and the government must implement this demand, they said. The parliamentarians even demanded exemption from toll tax payment on the motorways, saying they travelled a lot, so they could not afford heavy toll taxes. Finance Ministry officials said the issue of increase in salaries of parliamentarians was with the federal cabinet. They said that after approval, the same would be implemented.