According to the report submitted by the former Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif made more than 65 international trips in his third premiership between June 2013 and February 2016. [1] [2] Since his tenure ended on 28 July 2017, the exact number of trips made during his tenure are not officially available. According to another report submitted to the federal cabinet Nawaz Sharif spent 262 days abroad during his tenure. [3] Between June 2013 and February 2016 he made 10 foreign trips in 2013, 11 in 2014, 23 in 2015, and 9 each in 2016 and 2017.
Summary of international trips
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According to Khawaja Asif's report, the foreign visits cost the national exchequer more than Rs 1 billion for visits between June 2013 and February 2016. These visits accompanied 631 officers with him. [2] According to another report submitted to the federal cabinet Nawaz Sharif spent 262 days abroad during his tenure. Among the money spent Rs. 30m is spent on tips and Rs. 60m on gifts. The report revealed that a total of Rs 1.84bn was spent on foreign trips by the former prime minister. [3]
The lavish spending in foreign trips are criticised by neutral observers of international media. [4] [5] [6] In May, 2016 the Lahore High Court took notice of lavish spending in foreign tours on public money. The court asked to explain 17 visits to Britain with two months spent in the U.K. The court also questioned how days listed as transit closed 137.8 million rupees. [7] [8] [9]
The exact figures for his trips during his tenure are not available officially. The number of visits per country where he travelled between June 2013 and February 2016 are:
- 1 visit to Afghanistan.[10]
- 1 visit to Germany.[11]
- 1 visit to Bahrain[12]
- 1 visit to India.[10]
- 1 visit to Iran.[10]
- 1 visit to Nepal.[10]
- 1 visit to Tajikistan.[10]
- 1 visit to Thailand.[10]
- 2 visits to Uzbekistan.[10]
- 2 visits to Kazakhstan.[10]
- 4 visits to China.[2]
- 4 visits to Turkey.[2]
- 4 visits to the United States.[2]
- 5 visits to Saudi Arabia.[2]
- 17 visits to the United Kingdom.[2]
2013
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| Country | Location | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 China
|
Beijing | 4 July 2013 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Beijing to meet with the Chinese officials.[10] |
 United States
|
New York City | September 2013 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session.[10] |
| United States
|
Washington, D.C. | October 2013 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Washington to meet US President Barack Obama and other US officials.[10] |
2014
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| Country | Location | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| China
|
Beijing | April 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Beijing to meet with the Chinese officials.[10] |
 United Kingdom
|
London | April 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to London to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron.[10] |
 India
|
New Delhi | May 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to New Delhi to participate in Oath of office ceremony of Narendra Modi.[10] |
| United States
|
New York City | 22-30 September 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session.[10] |
| China
|
Beijing | 7-10 November 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Beijing to meet with the Chinese officials.[10] |
 Nepal
|
Kathmandu | 26-27 November 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Nepal to Attend with the SAARC 18th Summit 2014 |
 Germany
|
Berlin | 10-12 November 2014 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and discuss economic and terrorism issues.[11] |
2015
edit| Country | Location | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bahrain
|
Manama | January 7–8 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Bahrain on the invitation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa who is the prime minister of Bahrain.[13] |
 Sri Lanka
|
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | January 4 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Sri Lanka on the invitation of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremasinghe.[14] |
 Saudi Arabia
|
Riyadh | January 18 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Saudi Arabia with delegation to meet Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.[14] |
 Qatar
|
Doha | February | Prime Minister Sharif went on a two-day visit to Qatar and signed an agreement in Doha to import LNG worth billion of dollars.[14] |
 Tajikistan
|
Dushanbe | May 11 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Tajikistan to attend the launching of CASA-1000 according to which the two countries Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were to supply 1300 MW of electricity to Pakistan and Afghanistan.[14] |
 Iran
|
Tehran | 14 June 2015 | Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran |
 Thailand
|
Bangkok | 31 July 2015 | Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra met with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to discuss mutual cooperation in several fields, including trade and investment.
The two leaders agreed that talks on implementing a free trade agreement should start in the nearest future. |
| United States
|
New York City | September 19 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to New York, the United States of America. He attended the 71st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.[14] |
| United States
|
Washington | October 20–23 | Prime Minister Sharif travelled to Washington to discuss bilateral relations. |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Nawaz Sharif among most widely-travelled rulers".
- ^ a b c d e f g "Nawaz Sharif's foreign trips cost state exchequer over Rs1b, NA told – The Express Tribune". April 11, 2018.
- ^ a b "Zardari, Nawaz spent Rs3.26bn on 'lavish foreign trips' as president, PM: Shafqat Mehmood". The Dawn. July 9, 2019.
- ^ "Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Under Fire Over Travel Expenses". nbcnews.com. February 20, 2016.
- ^ "Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's 16 foreign visits in over a year cost Rs 294 million". Economic Times. February 4, 2015.
- ^ "Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Trips Cost Pak Exchequer Rupees 63.8 Crore". NDTV. February 19, 2016.
- ^ "Pakistan court issues notice to Nawaz Sharif govt on his foreign tours". Economic times. May 24, 2016.
- ^ "Pak court issues notice to Nawaz Sharif govt on 'lavish' foreign tours". Hindustan times. April 23, 2016.
- ^ "Pakistan Court Issues Notice to Nawaz Sharif Government On Foreign Tours". NDTV. May 24, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Wasim, Amir (December 9, 2014). "PM undertook 14 foreign visits during 18 months in office".
- ^ a b "Pakistan PM Sharif and Merkel talk trade, terrorism – DW – 11.11.2014". DW.COM.
- ^ "PM to leave for Bahrain on official visit". January 6, 2015.
- ^ "PM Nawaz leaves for Bahrain on two-day visit". January 7, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "The 13 countries PM Nawaz visited during 2016 – Pakistan – Dunya News".