Shehbaz travelling to Saudi Arabia at own expenses: Marriyum

Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday clarified that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would travel to Saudi Arabia on his own expenses, criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders for spreading "lies" about the trip set to take place later this week.

"Contrary to lies being propagated by PTI, Prime Minister will be travelling to Saudi Arabia later this week on a commercial flight at his own expense," the federal minister said on Twitter.

"Even during his 10 years as CM Punjab during 2008-18, he always travelled commercially and at his own expense," she added.

'Fake news'

The information minister also advised her former counterpart Fawad Chaudhry not to make "such a baseless statement against journalists as no media person was going to Saudi Arabia at the state’s expenses.

Aurangzeb went on to say that the fake news was the hallmark of the former information minister.

She recalled that the media used to give prominent coverage to Imran Khan when he was in the opposition, but after coming to power he targeted and victimised them. "Now after being thrown out of power in a disgraceful manner, the PTI leadership is maligning the media.”

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The info minister also reiterated that the PTI's rule had deprived the masses of affordable flour, sugar, medicines, electricity and gas, and ruined the economy and employment opportunities.

Taking a jibe at Fawad over the ongoing case, Aurangzeb asked him to also "tweet about the watch, necklace and rings of the Toshakhana."

According to the minister, everyone now knew about the reality of his “farce of austerity”, which had resulted in the biggest fiscal deficit in the country’s history in the past four years.