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First-class

travel by

ministers banned

ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday announced the ban on first class travel by ministers, ministers of state and equivalent and federal secretaries and their equivalent.

They will also not stay in hotel suites during official visits abroad, an official announcement said here.

The Finance Ministry notified these instructions following directives of the Chief Executive, Gen Pervez Musharraf, that visible austerity must be observed by upper echelons of the government.

The existing ban on the purchase of vehicles will continue. In exceptional cases where relaxation is given only locally manufactured or assembled vehicles will be purchased.

However, in no case the import of four-wheel-drive vehicles such as Pajeros, etc., will be approved. This requirement will also apply to foreign-aided projects.

Exceptions considered to be unavoidable in the interest of project implementation will be dealt with through a separate screening committee comprising the planning secretary and the secretary of the ministry concerned.

These instructions, in addition to instruction on the subject already in force, will be applicable to ministries, divisions, attached departments, subordinate offices, autonomous, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, etc., including provincial governments.ÑAPP