Debt commission shares details of ex-rulers' 'unnecessary' expenses with NAB

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Debt Inquiry Commission has shared details of “unnecessary” use of public funds by former rulers, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, with NAB for further investigation, ARY News reported, citing sources.

Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed had last year in December provided the commission a set of documents titled “Detail/Information about unnecessary expenditure incurred from the public exchequer by the former heads of state/government.”

According to the ministry, billions of rupees from the national kitty were squandered on personal security, camp offices and foreign trips. It said the Jati Umrah residence of the Sharif family was declared as Chief Minister’s residence after the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as a result of which over an amount of Rs176 million was spent on installation of security metal mesh fence, elevated security posts, CCTV cameras and floodlights.

Besides, public funds were used for the construction of a road leading to Jati Umrah.

Unjustified expenditures were incurred on account of the security of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif even after they had left their respective public office.

The national exchequer foot the bill for foreign tours of Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gillani, ex-president Mamnon Hussain, Shehbaz Sharif and ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. On these private visits, millions were spent from state treasury on account of tips, gifts and entertainment.

They also had multiple camp offices as official documents show that at times even five houses in the same city were declared as camp offices causing undue burden on the national kitty.

Official helicopters and aircraft were used by family members of Nawaz Sharif who were not even officeholders.

Shehbaz Sharif travelled on VVIP flights, purchased a new helicopter for Rs130 million in addition to using the Prime Minister’s aircraft resulting in unjustified expenditures.