US visit expenditure: Imran spends 11 times less than Zardari, eight times less than Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to the United States has set an example of simplicity and austerity by saving millions of rupees of the national exchequer as he spent much less than the visits of former PM Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Imran Khan's visit has cost the national kitty $67,180 against $752,688 spent by Asif Zardari on his visit in 2009 and $549,853 by Nawaz Sharif on his visit to the US in 2013. Imran Khan in his three day official visit to the United States spent 11 times less than Asif Zardari and eight times less than Nawaz Sharif.

Zardari’s four days first official visit (from 04-08 May 2009) to the United States for Trilateral Summit on Afghanistan that also included two days of transit to London was most expensive in financial terms as it cost the country $7,52,688 (Rs60.53 million) with delegation of 26 members. Nawaz Sharif’s three days official visit with a delegation of 44 members to the US with three days private visit to London for transit cost $549,853.82 (Rs58.78 million), while Imran Khan’s official visit with delegation size of 27 members cost $67,180.73 (Rs11.05 million).

According to details available to The News, Rs1,358,770 was spent of the delegation's accommodation, while the prime minister chose to stay in Pakistan Embassy in Washington, and Rs92,120 were incurred on the transport, Rs142,000 on gifts, Rs6,075,800 on airfare, Rs1,287,460 on miscellaneous expenditures, Rs706,001 on tips and Rs1,389,077 on meals and there was no TA/DA for any official and the ministers accompanying him.

On the official visit Zardari to Washington, out of Rs60.52 million, a sum of Rs48,477,056 was spent on four days official visit to the US and Rs12,039,063 on transit in London. An expenditure of Rs20,872,203 was made on hotel accommodation that includes Rs14,757,545 on hotel accommodation in Washington and Rs6,114,658 on hotel accommodation in London on transit, an expenditure of Rs11,364,521 on transportation that includes Rs10,772,225 on transport in Washington and Rs592,296 on transport during transit in London, Rs1,127,220 on gifts that includes Rs853,440 on gifts in Washington and Rs273,780 for gifts during transit in London, Rs15,891,644 on airfare that includes Rs11,952,484 on airfare for Washington and Rs3,939,160 for airfare in transit in London, Rs7,403,920 on miscellaneous items that include Rs7,005,058 on miscellaneous expenditure in Washington and Rs398,862 on miscellaneous expenditure in London during transit, Rs252,460 on tips during a transit stay in London, Rs2,122,149 on TA/DAs that includes Rs1,974,926 in Washington on TA/DA and Rs147,223 on TA/DA for transit in London, and Rs1,482,002 on meals that include Rs1,161,378 in Washington and Rs320,624 in London.

The six-day visit of Nawaz Sharif cost about $549,853.82 (Rs58.78 million), including Rs20,225,570 on hotel accommodation that includes Rs13,670,180 on accommodation in Washington and Rs6,555,390 in London on transit, Rs12,262,738 on transportation that includes Rs8,585,680 on transport in Washington and Rs3,677,058 on transport during transit in London, Rs997,499 on gifts including Rs978,680 on gifts in Washington and Rs18,819 for gifts during transit in London, Rs2,792,210 on airfare for Washington and no amount was spent for airfare in transit in London, Rs1,913,728 was spent on miscellaneous items including Rs705,864 in Washington and Rs1,207,864 in London during transit, Rs11,492,559 on ground handling that includes Rs5,535,444 in Washington and Rs5,957,115 in London transit, Rs534,500 on tips in Washington, Rs1,642,276 on TA/DAs that include Rs446,479 in Washington and Rs1,195,797 in London, Rs6,918,293 that includes a sum of Rs5,294,492 on meals in Washington and Rs1,623,801 on meals in London.

It may be mentioned that the prime minister travelled to the US on a commercial flight instead of a special aircraft. He stayed at the residence of Pakistan's ambassador in Washington DC instead of a 7-star hotel, while he bore his family’s expenditure himself.