ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan has set a new example in austerity during his recent visit to the United States after the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) led federal government released the details in comparison with the expenditures spent on a foreign visit by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to media details, the expense details revealed that PM Imran spent only US$67,180 during his US visit as he did not use an official aeroplane or stay at the hotel, whereas the former leaders spent billions during their foreign visit.
The details revealed that the foreign visits of former prime minister and president cost the national exchequer heavily after they spent extravagantly on tips, gifts and on their family members during their lavish stays in top-class foreign hotels.
However, PM Imran Khan didn’t even spend anything on his family members during the visit and saved millions from the national exchequer.
As per details released by the government, former President and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari during his tenure in 2009 spent US$7,52,688 on his six days official visit, from May 4 to 8, to the US.
The four days official visit to the US also included two days of transit to London, which cost the national exchequer $12,039,063. The total expenditure for the six days was $60,516,119.
The former president Zardari has an expenditure of $20,872,203 on hotel accommodation that includes $14,757,545 on hotel accommodation in Washington and $6,114,658 on hotel accommodation in London on transit.
He also spent $10,772,225 on transport in Washington and $592,296 on transport during transit in London, making the sum of the expenditure of $11,364,521 on transportation.
Whereas U$1,127,220 was spent on gifts that include $853,440 in Washington and $273,780 during transit in London, $15,891,644 was spent on airfare, $7,403,920 on miscellaneous items and a handsome amount of $252,460 was spent on tips.
On the other hand, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s foreign tours cost the national exchequer with US$5,49,853.82 during his tenure.
Nawaz’s three-day visit to the US including $13,670,180 on hotel accommodation in Washington and $6,555,390 in London on transit, a total of $Rs12,262,738 on transportation in Washington and during transit in London.
Nawaz also spent $997,499 on gifts, $2,792,210 on airfare, and $1,913,728 on miscellaneous items including $705,864 in Washington and $1,207,864 in London during transit.
Moreover, $5,957,115 was spent in London transit, $534,500 on tips in Washington including $5,294,492 on meals in Washington and $1,623,801 on meals in London.
Whereas, PM Imran’s visit to the US cost the national exchequer with only $67,180.73, in which only $1,358,770 were spent on the delegation’s accommodation and $92,120 were spent on transport.
On gifts $1 42,000 were spent, the air fare cost was $6,075,800, while $1,287,460 on miscellaneous expenditures. PM Imran’s US visit cost $706,001 on tips and $1,389,077 on meals.
