President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi decided on Tuesday to forego their salaries while in office citing the economic challenges faced by the country.

“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. 

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

In a similar move, the newly sworn-in Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also decided against drawing salary during his service period.

Taking to X,  Naqvi stated that he committed to serving the nation in challenging times “in every possible way”.