Details of expenditure and purpose of visits not provided by FO. PHOTO: FILE
A Pakistani ambassador-at-large undertook as many as 32 trips to several countries in a two-year period, documents submitted to the National Assembly by the Foreign Office have revealed. Several others have enjoyed multiple such visits at the state’s expense.
While the Foreign Office provided the lower house of parliament a list of the foreign and local trips Pakistani ambassadors-at-large have undertaken, it did not reveal the details of the money spent on the frequent visits nor the purpose behind them.
According to details, ambassador-at-large to foreign countries Nasir Ali Khan paid 32 visits to different countries at the state’s expense between June 2008 and April 2010. These include trips to multiple countries at a time.
In 2008, he visited France thrice, Afghanistan, India and New York twice, and Colombo and Kampala once. In 2009, he visited the US and Britain thrice, Germany, Thailand and Dubai twice, and Afghanistan, Iran, Ankara, Rome, Paris, Prague, Moscow, The Hague, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Manama and Tobago once. In 2010, he visited the UAE twice and the US, Britain, Belgium, China and Saudi Arabia once.
Another ambassador-at-large, Khalil Ahmed, visited 12 countries between 2008 and 2010. Ahmed visited the US and several other countries once in 2008. This was followed by seven visits to China, two visits to the US and one to UK in 2009. In 2010, he visited the UK once.
In addition to this, Ahmed also went on 13 trips within the country, mostly to Karachi and Lahore, in this timeframe.
Ambassador-at-Large to Foreign Countries Zia Ispahani paid a single visit to Bangladesh in 2009, but made five trips within the country between 2008 and 2010. Ambassador-at-Large Salman Faruqi paid two visits each to Karachi and Lahore during this timeframe while Ambassador-at-Large Jamil Ahmed Khan paid three visits to Karachi at the state’s expense.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2014.
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Apparently these guys were on world tour on tax money. No accoutbility :(
these guys enjoy free trips on PIA's planes as if it's their father's property, and the loss and is then beared by the airline!!.....also public sentiment goes wrong with PIA when the aircraft shortage makes the flights delay!!
these politicians enjoy free trips on PIA's planes as if it's their father's property, and the loss and is then beared by the airline!!.....also public sentiment goes wrong with PIA when the aircraft shortage makes the flights delay!!
At least something get revealed and will be asked for the explanation... Which is also unusual in beloved Homeland...
There is nothing wrong with travelling to a lot of countries if that is part of your job. The point of having an ambassador at large is to visit a lot of places.
How do you become an Ambassador at large ? I want to become one !!!
Express Tribune, your news stories don't provide any context. How is the reader to know how to place this information? What is an "Ambassador-at-large" and why does any of this matter? Give the reader more introductory information and do a little bit of research. Possibly contact the relevant agency for questions, look at the role of this "Ambassador-at-large" in history. Giving a list of places someone has visited isn't journalistic. I have seen this with a lot of articles.
More context and richer content please.
........and our leaders claim themselves as Pakistanis !...DISGRACEFUL.
Just so you guys know, this happened under PPP gov't, 2008-2010. Nawaz is more for development than for corruption/accountabibility. They think by trying Musharaf, they will garner their accountability. No, it's these people who should be swiftly be held accountable. Mush-like comes once few years, but these people are in hundreds, if not thousands, and live as parasites every day of the year.
Yes, accountability is waiting for the PPP, PMLN, PMLQ, MQM, JI, JUIF, JUIS, PTI and all the other USELESS, MONEY and TIME WASTING politicians and ambassadors-at-large. We do not need such WASTRELS. Face it. We can ill afford such largesse, especially when in sixty-seven years we have not learnt to keep away from the IMF, WB, ADB, IDB, US, UK, European, and Chinese aid. If this why we take loans, then dump DEMOCRACY and bring back Musharraf (toned down). Salams
Accountability, still waiting for it, are you listening PMLN?
Worst example of eating away the country's exchequer with impunity and unaccountability. Who are these people and what have done to earn the right for these excesses and what have they achieved on these foreign trips as "abassador-at-large".