Rs90m luxury car bought for Senate Chairman from public funds, Gilani confirms

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Yousuf Raza Gilani has confirmed that a luxury vehicle worth Rs90 million was purchased for his use from the Senate’s budget, saying the order had been placed last year using savings from the chamber’s previous financial allocation.

According to sources, the expensive vehicle has already arrived at the Senate Secretariat of Pakistan after being procured from the Senate budget.

When contacted, Gilani confirmed the media of the purchase but clarified that the car had been ordered in May last year. He said the vehicle was bought through funds saved from the Senate’s budget of the previous fiscal year.

Gilani added that he had attempted to return the car in view of the country’s economic situation but was informed that the vehicle had already been delivered.

Earlier in June, Muhammad Aurangzeb told lawmakers at the Parliament House that the Senate chairman and the speaker of the National Assembly were receiving a monthly salary of Rs2.15 million.

At the time, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised the massive increase in salaries and perks for top parliamentary office-holders, calling it “economic obscenity.”