Pak senators spent Rs 22 million on foreign trips in four months

Islamabad, Sep. 28 (ANI): Pakistani senators have spent over 22 million rupees to participate in various international events in just four months, it has been revealed.

The expenses, incurred between April and July, cover air tickets, foreign exchange, communications, transport charges and miscellaneous expenditures, The Nation revealed.

Justifying the sum before the Senate finance committee, Senate Chairman Farooq H. Naek pointed out that these foreign visits were undertaken by senators in order to facilitate their participation in various important events.

Their purpose was to present at these platforms Pakistan's stand on various issues, including the war on terror, nuclear assets and the country's internally displaced persons, he said.

The country's Senate finance committee however said that the volume of expenditure could have been reduced.

Pakistani parliamentarians are notorious for spending enormous amounts from the country's exchequer on foreign trips, the paper said.

There have often been allegations of delegations being larger than they need to be, and needlessly lavish travel, accommodation and transport arrangements, it added.

In some cases, there have been allegations of corruption and favouritism in terms of the foreign travel undertaken by various functionaries of different governments. (ANI)