How much did Imran’s visit to Sri Lanka cost?

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill just revealed some figures on Twitter in an attempt to compare the cost of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s trips to Sri Lanka.

Nawaz visited Sri Lanka in 2006, while PM Khan made his maiden visit to Sri Lanka this week for two days since assuming the office in 2018. His last visit to Sri Lanka was in 1986 when he was the captain of Pakistan cricket team. This was the first visit by a Pakistan prime minister to Sri Lanka since Nawaz’s 2016 tour. Dr Gill says PM Khan spent less than Nawaz on his tour.

Nawaz’s trip cost the national exchequer $276,266, according to Dr Gill, while he said the cost of PM Khan’s trip was only $34,800. Compared to the 2016 tour, this tour had more work, events and benefit, Dr Gill said. Dr Gill shared a picture of the two premiers with details of their trip costs to make his comparison.