Rs30.7m spent on PMÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s US visit, LHC told

LAHORE: The federal government on Thursday told the Lahore High Court that Rs30.7 million were spent on a recent visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to New York (US). A deputy attorney general further told the court that the parliament had approved a fund for the foreign tours of the prime minister. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had on previous hearing warned the government of imposition of fine if details of the visitÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s expenses were not submitted in the court. The judge observed that the court would see whether it enjoyed jurisdiction to question the funds approved by the parliament. The judge adjourned further hearing for a week as the petitionerÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s counsel did not appear. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree filed the petition saying public money had been used by the PM and his family on lavish foreign tours. He alleged that the PM stayed at a hotel that cost Rs800,000 for one night during his recent visit to New York. He said all expenses were made through public money. The petitioner argued that the rulers could not use national exchequer to enjoy luxurious lifestyle. He also asked the court to place the PM and his family members on Exit Control List (ECL) to restrain them from further foreign tours spending public money. Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014