Zardari's foreign visits cost whopping 157.257 million to Pak exchequer

Islamabad, Mar. 13 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's nine foreign visits since September 2008 have cost a whopping 157.257 million rupees to the national exchequer, the National Assembly (NA) was told.

The expenditures included special remittances and daily allowances of the 246 staff, chartered flight charges and gifts to the visited countries, the Daily Times reports.

Since he became President, Zardari has visited the UK, the US, the UAE, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Afghanistan.

Also on Thursday, the House was informed that the official delegation of Pakistan to the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly, comprising 53 members, cost 68,269,611 rupees to the Pakistan Government.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Amad Khan told the House that Pakistan was falling victim to propaganda from across the border during the campaigning for general elections.

"Some very negative statements have been released, which is sad and unfortunate," he said. (ANI)