Last Update: January 30, 2023, 11:11 AM IST
Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan greets supporters as he arrives by helicopter to lead a protest rally in Swabai, May 25, 2022. (AFP)
The government told the Upper House that an amount of Rs 946.3 million was spent on VVIP helicopter missions by the 6 Aviation Squadron when Imran Khan was the prime minister.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s helicopter travel has cost the national exchequer Rs 1 billion, a report said.
The former PM of Pakistan has come under scrutiny for helicopter rides while in office. According to The Nation report, the details of the expenditure were presented before the Pakistani Senate.
The report said that Khan’s VVIP helicopter flights during his visits from 2019 to 2021 on the orders of the Prime Minister’s Office cost around Rs 1 billion.
The government in a written reply to the Upper House said that an amount of Rs 946.3 million was spent on the VVIP helicopter mission by the 6 Aviation Squadron when Imran Khan was the Prime Minister.
Earlier, the government had also informed Pakistan’s Parliament that from 2019 to March 2022, Khan used the official helicopter to travel from his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad to the PM House for 1,579.8 hours. An amount of Rs 434.43 crore was collected from the treasury during these yatras.
The Pakistani government further stated that a total of 26 million rupees were spent from official funds on camp offices by prime ministers prior to 2008.
A report in Dawn said the helicopter was used for a total of 1,579.8 hours of flying over nearly four years, at an average cost of Rs 275,000 per hour.
These claims come at a time when Pakistan’s economy is on the verge of economic chaos and the country is deeply in debt.
Imran Khan is also facing probe for illegally selling gifts received from heads of state and foreign dignitaries.
During official visits the Khan received expensive gifts from Arab rulers which were deposited in the state treasury.
Later, he followed the law by buying them at low rates and selling them at huge profits. He announced that gifts were bought from the state treasury for Rs 21.56 million and sold for Rs 58 million. The gifts included a Graff wristwatch, a pair of cufflinks, an expensive pen, a ring, and four Rolex watches.
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