Govt to probe Mamnoon, ex-PMs’ foreign tour spendings

ISLAMABAD: After examining the details of the expenses of former president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif, the government has decided to investigate and recover the funds used by former president Mamnoon Hussain and ex-premiers Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervez Ashraf and their families during their foreign visits, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday.

Sources privy to the development informed this scribe that the Foreign Ministry and Cabinet Division will present the details of the expenditures incurred during the foreign visits of the said officials, in the next meeting of the federal cabinet. They said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has issued directives to investigate all expenditures and to devise a formula to recover the amount.

Sources also said that the Cabinet Division secretary, after consulting with National Health Services, will present the details of the expenditures of the above-mentioned persons and if the government fails to recover the amount from them, the cases will be forwarded to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Sources further said that the expenditures of the decoration of PM Office, camp offices and personal residence of former premiers will also be part of the report.

Sources informed this scribe that the Cabinet Division had submitted a report on July 9 before the federal cabinet wherein the expenditures of former presidents and former premiers were disclosed before the meeting. This prompted PM Imran to issue directives to launch a probe into the said expenses.

Pakistan Today also learnt that the Foreign Ministry, in consultation with other relevant agencies, will also collect the details of those who accompanied the former presidents and premiers on their foreign visits.