ISLAMABAD: In continuation of the government’s ongoing austerity drive, Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered ban on overseas medical treatment of ministers and other top officials, ARY News reported.

Federal ministers, state ministers, cabinet members and all advisers and assistants can no longer go abroad for medical treatment on the government’s expense, ordered PM Khan during the Federal Cabinet meeting today. ‘The ban has come into place with immediate effect.’

The Cabinet Division has also issued a notification in this regard. The notification says the order also applies on federal secretaries and divisional in-charge(s) of different ministries.

Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, on August 24 had announced several austerity measures taken by the government including auction of surplus government vehicles, extension in working hours at government offices, and revamping of several institutions.

The minister had announced that the cabinet decided to ban the use of discretionary funds of the president, premier and MNAs.

He said that the previous government had used Rs51 billion in discretionary funds in the last year alone, of which Rs21bn were used by former PM Nawaz Sharif, while Rs30bn were given to MNAs for different spendings.

The minister had also said the government decided to hold thorough debate about any infrastructural project in the parliament before releasing its funds.

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