Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the former government functionaries enjoyed luxurious foreign visits on taxpayers’ money but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would hold them accountable for every penny spent.
The premier made these remarks during a cabinet meeting. It was informed that Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif had spent Rs 3.26 billion during their foreign visits as president and prime minister in nine years. Asif Zardari spent Rs 1.42 billion on his 134 foreign tours in five years (2008-2013) and Nawaz Sharif Rs 1.84 billion during his four-year tenure as prime minister (PM) (2013-17), Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said while briefing media persons about the decisions of the cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said the government had already informed the people about the corruption done by the opposition while in power during the past ten years.
Over Rs 24,000 billion loans were taken from the foreign countries, which spoke volumes about their opulence, he added.
The minister said it was also revealed during the cabinet meeting that Asif Zardari had spent 257 days abroad during his trips while he was also accompanied by some 3,227 persons.
Shafqat Mehmood said Zardari had wasted around Rs 20 million on the pretext of tips and Rs 45 million on gifts. He had visited Dubai 51 times as president, out of which 48 were private visits and spent Rs 100 million. On 17 visits of Asif Zardari to the United Kingdom, Rs 320 million was spent, he added.
The minister said Nawaz Sharif had spent 262 days in foreign countries during his four-year term as prime minister. He wasted Rs 30 million on tips and Rs 60 million on gifts.
He had undertaken 24 visits of London, out of which 20 were of private nature, and spent Rs 230 million from the public exchequer, Shafqat added.
He said the financial loss caused by the duo (Zardari and Nawaz) did not end here as the Pakistan International Airlines had also suffered the loss of Rs 300 million to Rs 400 million according to preliminary estimates on account of chartering of its aeroplanes.
He said other prime ministers during the tenures of both parties, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the PML-N and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of the PPP, had also plundered the national wealth through their foreign trips.
The minister said around 214 persons went along former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during his 19 foreign trips, spanned over 50 days, which cost Rs 259.59 million. On the contrary, Shafqat Mehmood said, Prime Minister Imran Khan during his coming visit to the United States would stay at the house of Pakistani ambassador and only a few persons, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, would accompany him. The personal staff of the prime minister would stay in a three-star hotel in the US.
He said the cabinet also issued directives for the provision of details of previous rulers’ additional expenditures, including medical and other expenses, during their foreign trips, so that the people could know how their money was wasted.
Shafqat Mehmood said the cabinet also condemned the projection of the criminals’ narrative in both print and electronic media during recent days. The government fully believed in the press freedom, but no democracy in the world allowed the media to conduct the interviews of convicted or under-trial persons, he said.
To a query, the minister said the government had asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) about its policy regarding airing the interview of an accused.
He said the government had no role in shutting down of news channels as PEMRA was an independent institution which was mandated to regulate the media in the country as per law.
Taking notice of inflation, he said, the prime minister had issued directives to the adviser on finance and the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) chairman to ensure the sale of edible items like flour, ghee and pulses at controlled rates.
