In this file photo, PM Nawaz Sharif shakes hand with David Cameron and Ashraf Ghani. PHOTO: AFP
Since the 2013 election, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain have made 28 official trips abroad, but hosted only six such visits from the heads of state or government of five countries. Of those six visits, four visited Pakistan in 2013 and only two during 2014.
The four state visits to Pakistan during 2013 were made by former Afghan president Hamid Karzai (August 26), Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (August 20-21), British Prime Minister David Cameron (June 29) and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (December 23-24). During 2014, Pakistan was visited by only two foreign heads of state: newly elected Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Bahrain’s King Sheikh Hamad.
The sparse record in 2014 was at least partly due to political unrest in Islamabad. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was scheduled to visit Islamabad in November 2014, but cancelled due to the sit-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Official trips abroad by Pakistan’s heads of state and government have become politically controversial in a country where budgets have always been tight, even though the sums spent on them are miniscule relative to overall government spending.
The 28 trips undertaken by Prime Minister Sharif and President Hussain have cost the taxpayers Rs391 million in total, according to government disclosures made to Parliament on Monday, less than 0.01% of the overall budget.
In response to questions raised by Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Dr Nafisa Shah, both PPP members of the National Assembly from Sindh, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir justified the expenses by saying that the trips are meant “to better relations with other countries.”
Since being sworn in on June 5, 2013, the prime minister has made 21 foreign trips to 13 countries, spanning a total of 77 days, at a total cost of Rs351 million. The president’s seven foreign trips to five countries since July 2014 spanned a total of 18 days and cost Rs40 million.
The PM’s most expensive tour was the seven-day trip to the United States in September 2013 that cost Rs91.6 million, followed by a five-day trip again to the US in September 2014, which cost Rs42.4 million.
The next most expensive were his four trips to Britain (total cost Rs52.5 million), three visits to China (49.6 million), two visits to Turkey (Rs18.7 million), one visit each to the Netherlands (Rs12.5 million), Sri Lanka (Rs11.8 million), Thailand (Rs9.7 million), Nepal (Rs7.8 million), Germany (Rs7.4 million), India (Rs4.3 million), Tajikistan (Rs3.7 million), Iran (Rs2.6 million), Afghanistan (Rs1.4 million).
The president has made two trips each to China and Afghanistan, and one visit each to Nigeria, Turkey and South Africa.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2015.
COMMENTS (7)
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A country where the terrorists who kill editors of newspapers are honoured, cannot expect sympathy from the rest of the world. Look at the mindset of Pakistani politicians like IK, and those belonging to JUI, PML(N) etc. who would want to visit a country still living in the 19th century? ACountry where the murderer of a governor is treated as a hero, where some terrorist groups are given state protection and where clerics are immune to prosecution. They come only when they have to. Look at what happened in Peshawar and compare it with Paris. 40 Heads of states in Paris within 24 hours and 0 in Peshawar or Pakistan. Why? Because Pakistani politicians and officials show indifference to what happens in the rest of the world. For them, they are always right, rest of the nations are working against them.
Pakistani politicians always wait for foreign dignitaries with KASHKOL in their hands. No wonder they avoid Pakistanis like one avoids person with rabies.
" The PM’s most expensive tour was the seven-day trip to the United States in September 2013 that cost Rs91.6 million" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NS is yet to break the record for the longest overseas trip: 2 Weeks ,COAS to US.
What is most embarrassing is that Pres Obama is travelling second time to India.... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ignoring the principal ally in the war on Terror...
If a visiting dignitary comes to Pakistan he will be asked for more aid. They keep away to save money.
Even kerry visited pakistan as a surprise like afghanistan or iraq.Every one afraid of visiting pakistan
The Parliament simply has to define a maximum per diem expense. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NS will start flying PIA.