Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark on a 4-day visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. During his visit, he will also perform Umrah, besides holding important meetings with the Saudi leadership.
PM Shehbaz going for Umrah is causing quite a storm in Pakistan after the list of people accompanying him went viral. To clarify, the list is rather long and the public is accusing the PM of undertaking a family trip at the expense of taxpayers’ money. The list includes members of his family, along with the staff.
According to reports, the Prime Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia will be accompanied by 16 members of the Sharif family. Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz, his wife, daughter, and even the maid will also go to Saudi Arabia from Islamabad. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz, Captain retired Safdar, Sabiha Abbas, Yusuf Abbas his wife and son will also visit KSA.
Read more: Cryptic tweet of Maryam Nawaz on Nawaz Sharif baffles Twitter
According to sources, Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleiman Shahbaz, wife, son, and maid will reach Jeddah from Doha. Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz and his wife will reach Jeddah from London.
The list for those going to Umrah at the expense of the state has already crossed 85 people.
Soon it will cross 100.
How will these people face Allah in his house knowing that they are traveling on state funds of a country that is engulfed in debt?#MarchAgainstImportedGovt pic.twitter.com/ebudCVdEa3— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) April 25, 2022
Unbelievable: PIA downgrades Syed Hassam Bokhara to accommodate daughter of @PakPMO Shahbaz Sharif. Both in way to Jeddah for Umra.
This can happen only in #Pakistan— Imtiaz Gul (@ImtiazGul60) April 25, 2022
Family gathering at the public’s expense?
Due to the number of family members, along with their house staff, the Sharif family is amassing criticism on social media. Netizens are slamming PM Shehbaz for using the public’s money to finance an Umrah trip which is being considered a large family gathering for the Sharif family.
Interestingly, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif recently received his Pakistani passport. Therefore, there are speculations that he too will join his family for Umrah, since he is free to travel.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif will return home if no-confidence motion succeeds
On the other hand, Hussain Nawaz rejected the news of going to Saudi Arabia at public expense. He clarified that he is already in Saudi Arabia and went there at his personal expense.
Similarly, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that PM Shehbaz will bear the expenditure of his upcoming visit instead of burdening the national exchequer.
https://twitter.com/Hussain_NSharif/status/1518731450996113408?s=20&t=HCWmtFF3Kl4Fu004hkJFIg
However, a local media confirmed that PM Shehbaz has requested a PIA Boeing 777 to be on standby for his Saudi visit. 80 seats have been booked and the Foreign Ministry will make the payment.
Furthermore, coalition members including party leaders will also accompany PM Shehbaz. Fazlur Rehman, Asad Mahmood, Bilawal Bhutto, Shagufta Jamani, Akhtar Mengal, Khalid Magsi, Khalid Maqbool, Ameer Haider Hoti, Shahzain Bugti, Aslam Bhootani, Ali Nawaz Shah, Mohsin Dawar, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Abdul Malik Baloch and Shah Owais Noorani will also accompany Shehbaz Sharif.