ISLAMABAD (Eshfak Mughal) :- The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led government has paid Rs16 million on foreign tours of two Federal Ministers belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party Abdul Qadir Patel and Syed Naveed Qamar from national exchequer which is the highest cost of any official trips of any minister or advisors, a senior official of Cabinet Division told the Voice of Public on Monday.
The data shows that the government has paid Rs.10 million on two foreign visits of Federal Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel who visited Dubai and Qatar. Abdul Qadir Patel visited Dubai on 15-18 June 2022. He also visited Doha Qatar during 04-06-2022 as federal minister, the record of the Cabinet Division.
Syed Naveed Qamar has made foreign trips worth Rs.5.893 million during one year. The cost of foreign trips of Syed Naveed Qamar remained second highest amid financial crunch in the country, according to the data of the Cabinet Division.
Sherry Rehman, the Federal Minister for Climate Change stands on third number in this list of Abdul Qadir Patel and Syed Naveed Qamar. According to the data, the expenditure of her foreign visits recorded as Rs.4.9 million during one year.
The cost of foreign trips of former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail was remained Rs.4.57 million an Minister of State for Finance has spend Rs.4.1 million, Ch. Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Board of Investment has spent Rs3.77 million, Dr Musadik Malik, Minister of State for Energy has spent Rs3.5 million, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for Defence has spent Rs3.17 million, Sajid Hussain Turi, Federal Minister for overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has spent Rs3.11 million, Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister has spent Rs2.45 million on their foreign visits.
The data shows that the government has paid Rs 65.2 million from exchequer on foreign trips of 25 Federal Ministers, State Ministers during 2022.
The expenditures of the foreign trips of six Special Assistants to the Prime Minister of Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan was recorded only Rs4.75 million during the 2022. Out of total expenditures of SAPMs on foreign trips, only Faisal Karim Kundi has spent Rs.3.75 million on two visits of Egypt and Istanbul, the data shows.
The Cabinet Division has not been assigned any role in processing the summaries of visits abroad of Federal Ministers/ Ministers of State/ SAPM in the Instructions on Visits Abroad dated 26-10-2018.
The summaries for such visits are normally sent to the Prime Minister’s Office through the Finance and Foreign Affairs Divisions. However, few cases of such visits have been routed through Cabinet Division to the Prime Minister’s Office, too. The concerned Divisions may be approached for complete information
The Federal Government has paid Rs.70 million form the national exchequer on foreign tours of the different Federal Ministers, Ministers of States and Special Assistant of Prime Minister during 20222.