PM Imran Khan’s Afghanistan visit cost less than Nawaz and Zardari’s

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to Afghanistan has cost the national kitty less than that of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Zardari’s trips to the neighbouring country, it emerged on Saturday.

A total of $11,000 were spent on PM Imran Khan's visit to Kabul, Daily Jang reported on Saturday.

The premier was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, DG Inter-Services Intelligence General Faiz Hameed, Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood and other civil-military officials on the one-day visit.

In comparison, former premier Nawaz Sharif's 2015 official trip to Afghanistan had cost $58,000 and Raja Pervez Ashraf's 2012 visit had cost $51,000.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari's 2009 visit cost the national exchequer $44,000.

PM Imran Khan's visit

PM Imran Khan's Kabul visit was in line with what has been described as the "shared vision between Afghanistan and Pakistan to support peace and stability in both countries and the wider region".

The move came in a bid to strengthen the momentum of improved ties between the two countries.

"My visit to Kabul was another step towards conveying Pakistan's commitment to peace in Afghanistan," the premier wrote on Twitter after arriving back home. "I have never believed in military solutions which is why I always believed that in Afghanistan peace will be achieved through political dialogue."

"After the Afghans, we have the greatest stake in this peace as it will allow for connectivity and trade, bringing prosperity to both Afghans & Pakistanis," he continued.

"Our people in the tribal areas, who have suffered the ravages of the war in Afghanistan, will especially benefit from peace and trade."