—File Photo

The government claimed on Monday PM Imran Khan’s visit to Davos, Switzerland next month will be the most economical compared to his predecessors, is estimated to be at $68,000, according to the Press Information Department (PID).

The saving is part of the prime minister’s ongoing robust drive in which he has also directed to minimize the expenditures upon his upcoming WEF participation, said a press release on Monday.

The visits of former prime ministers to Davos including Mian Nawaz Sharif costed $762,000, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi $561,000 and Yousuf Raza Gilani $459,000 respectively to the national exchequer, according to the sources' claimed.

Minister of State for Safron and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi took their twitter account to share statistics of foreign visit expense,

A stark difference between the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and previous rulers. PM Khan is saving precious National resources while previous rulers abused them. This is #NayaPakistan @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/hay1BBh9gW

— Shehryar Afridi (@ShehryarAfridi1) December 30, 2019

The prime minister, during his US visit, had also set precedent by slashing the expenditures, thus saving huge amount during his stay there, the press release added.
Whereas Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Washington DC US visit during 20-25 July 2019 costed $ 67,180 only when compared with former president Asif Ali Zardari’s stay on 4-8 May 2009 costed the national exchequer, a sum of $ 752,688 and that of former premier Mian Nawaz Sharif on 20-23 October 2013, a total of $ 549,853.

Similarly, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s total expenses incurred on New York visit during September 2019 stood around $ 162,578 only. Whereas Asif Ali Zardari spent $ 1,309,620 during September 2012, Mian Nawaz Sharif $ 1,113,142 (September 2016) and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi spent $ 705,019 during September 2017.