PM Imran's trip to Davos will cost $68,000 to national exchequer

ISLAMABAD: In a stark comparison to former premiers, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s upcoming three-day visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) is expected to cost only $68,000 to the national exchequer, said a press release issued on Monday.

The reduced cost is due to the ongoing austerity measures adopted by the government. “Saving is part of the prime minister’s ongoing robust drive in which he has also directed to minimise the expenditures upon his upcoming WEF participation,” said the press release.

A comparison of visits by former prime ministers to Davos showed former PM Nawaz Sharif had spent $762,000, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi spent $561,000 and PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gilani’s visit cost $459,000.

This is not the first time that the PM has managed to slash his expenditures on foreign trips. The prime minister during his visit to Washington DC “had also set precedent by slashing the expenditures”, said the press release.

PM Imran’s US visit in July cost $67,180 compared to other rulers of the country. Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s visit in 2009 cost the national exchequer, a sum of $752,688, while former premier Nawaz Sharif’s 2013 trip cost $549,853.

Similarly, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s total expenses incurred on New York visit in September 2019 stood around $ 162,578. Whereas, Zardari spent $ 1.3 million on his visit in 2012, Nawaz Sharif in 2016 spent $ 1.1 million and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s 2017 visit was of $705,019.