Pakistan cabinet bans first-class air travel by officials
ISLAMABAD : Pakistan’s new government has banned the discretionary use of state funds and first-class air travel by officials and leaders, including the president and the prime minister, as part of its austerity drive.
The decisions were made at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, information minister Fawad Chaudhry said.
“It has been decided that all the top government officials, including the president, prime minister, chief justice, Senate chairman, speaker National Assembly and the chief ministers will travel in club/business,” he told media.
Chaudhry said the Army chief was not allowed first class travel and always used business class.
He said the discretionary allocation of funds by the prime minister and the president and other officials was also stopped by the cabinet.
Chaudhry claimed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif used Rs 51 billion discretionary funds in a year. The prime minister also decided to stop using special plane for foreign visits or domestic travelling and use business class.
After his victory in the July 25 general election, Khan decided not to use the palatial Prime Minister’s House and instead lives in a small portion of it that was previously used as residence by the military secretary to the prime minister.
Khan also decided to use only two vehicles and keep two servants.
He refused to use elaborate official protocol.