Imran Khan's helicopter rides cost Pakistan Rs 1 billion

Islamabad, Jan 29: Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's helicopter rides cost the national exchequer Rs 1 billion, reported The Nation.

The VVIP helicopter rides were carried out on the instructions of the Prime Minister's Office from 2019 to 2021 and expense details were presented in the Pakistani Senate, the report said.

The federal government informed the Senate that Rs 946.3 million was spent on VVIP helicopter missions by 6 Aviation Squadron under instructions of the PM's Office from 2019 to 2021 when Imran Khan ruled Pakistan.

The federal government earlier informed the upper house according to the details provided by the Cabinet Division Khan used the official helicopter to commute from his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad to PM House for 1,579.8 hours from 2019 to March 2022.

The amount of Rs 434.43 million was incurred on these trips from the national kitty, reported The Nation.

It is reported that the government said that a total amount of R s26 million was spent from the official funds on camp offices by former prime ministers since 2008.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had three camp offices, two in Lahore and another one in his hometown Multan during his tenure from March 2008 to June 2012, which cost an amount of Rs 10.8 million, reported The Nation.

Meanwhile, incumbent National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf had one camp office on Chakwal Road while he was in office from June 2012 to March 2013 and an amount of Rs 5.5 million was spent on it.

Similarly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had his camp office at his residence in Jati Umra, Lahore during his tenure from June 2013 to July 2017, which cost an amount of Rs 4.5 million.

His successor Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had his camp office at his residence in Islamabad while he was in the office of prime minister from August 2017 to March 2018. An amount of Rs5.2 million was incurred on it from it the exchequer.

This report comes at a time when the country is grappling with one of the country's worst economic crises in recent years amid dwindling foreign exchange reserves.