Imran's Davos trip to be 'most economical' in last 10 yrs

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Davos, Switzerland, next month will be the most economical compared to his predecessors in the last 10 years, the government has claimed.

Total expenditure of the three-day visit, in which the premier along with his delegation will attend the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) summit, is estimated to be at $68,000, The Express Tribune quoted the Press Information Department (PID) as saying on Monday.

The previous governments of Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Yousaf Raza Gillani spent lavishly on their visits to the Swiss city in comparison, the PID said.

Sharif's visit caused the most loss to the national exchequer with almost $762,199 million.

Abbasi, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's second premier, spent $561,381 million and Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Gillani $459,451 million on the trip during their respective tenures.

The PID added that Khan has issued directives to further cut down expenses on his foreign trips.

The Prime Minister had also set an example of austerity in his two visits to the United States earlier this year, The Express Tribune reported.

Expenses of his Washington trip were kept to a meager $68,000.

In comparison, according to the government's claim, Sharif spent $549,854 during his 2015 trip to the US, while PPP supremo and former President Asif Ali Zardari had spent $752,682.