The spokesperson for President Asif Ali Zardari’s Secretariat has clarified that the president’s recent foreign visit was entirely private and that all expenses associated with the trip were paid personally by him.
According to the spokesperson, the visit was not an official government-funded tour. All costs related to the president’s travel were borne by Asif Ali Zardari himself.
The spokesperson also clarified that the aircraft used for the visit had been personally chartered by President Zardari. The clarification was issued to address questions regarding the use of public resources during the president’s overseas travel.
The statement emphasized that the foreign visit should be viewed as a private trip rather than an official state visit. Consequently, the expenses were not charged to the national exchequer, according to the President’s Secretariat.
The issue of official and private foreign travel by senior public officials often attracts public attention because of concerns over government expenditure, use of official aircraft and other state resources. In this case, the spokesperson sought to make clear that the president personally assumed the financial responsibility for the journey.
No further details were provided regarding the president’s private engagements or the complete itinerary of the trip.
The spokesperson’s clarification is intended to remove any confusion about whether public funds were used. According to the statement, President Zardari personally paid the expenses and arranged the aircraft for the journey.
The clarification also distinguishes the visit from an official presidential tour, during which travel and other expenses are normally handled through government arrangements and official channels.
The President’s Secretariat did not announce any additional information about the duration of the visit, the countries involved or the specific purpose of the president’s private engagements.
The statement comes as scrutiny over government spending remains a significant public issue in Pakistan. By emphasizing that the trip was private and personally funded, the spokesperson maintained that the visit did not place an additional financial burden on the government.
In short, the Presidency’s position is that President Asif Ali Zardari’s foreign trip was a private visit, its expenses were personally paid by the president, and the aircraft was personally chartered by him.
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