PM Shehbaz Sharif to take large entourage on Saudi visit

ISLAMABD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to taking a large entourage on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia later this week.

The government has demanded a Boeing 777 aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for the upcoming visit. The Foreign Ministry has requested Boeing 777 from the national airline for the prime minister’s entourage and has written a letter PIA CEO to keep the aircraft on standby.

According to reports, an entourage of more than 50 members will accompany the prime minister on his maiden visit to the Kingdom including heads of political parties, members of Sharif family including Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz and Sulaiman Shehbaz.

Other family members will be joined from London and Doha including Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and their families. The entourage includes officials of the foreign office, PM’s House officials and staff, security staff, personal staff, media team while others have been placed on standby.

Preparations

Presiding over a meeting to review preparations for the official visit, the prime minister said Pakistan values its long-standing brotherly ties with Saudi Arabia and looks forward to enhancing the same in future.

PM Shehbaz Sharif directed the relevant authorities to make effective recommendations for strengthening the Pak-Saudi bilateral relations  and long-term strategic partnership.

PM to bear expenses

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has clarified that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will bear the expenditure of his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia instead of burdening the national exchequer.

In a series of tweets, she said that the prime minister is going to Saudi Arabia on a commercial flight. Referring to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweet, the minister said Shehbaz Sharif is not carrying a chartered plane nor will y journalist will go with him on government expenditure.

She said Imran Khan and his cronies were known for banning channels and programmes during their days in power and have unleashed baseless allegation after being expelled.

List of entourage

1. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

   Party heads

2. Moulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, President (JUI-F)
3. Moulana Asad Mehmood, Minister for Communications (JUI-F)
4. Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNA (President PPPP)
5. Ms. Shagufta Jumani, MNA (PPPP)
6. Sardar Akhtar Mengal, MNA (President BNP-M)
7. Sardar Khalid Magsi, MNA (BAP)
8. Dr. Khaid Maqbool Siddiqui, MNA (President MQM-Pak)
9. Mr. Ameer Haider Hoti, MNA (ANP)
10. Nawabzda Shahzain Bugti, Minister for Narcotics (President JWP)
11. Mr. Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, MNA
12. Mr. Ali Nawaz Shah, MNA
13. Mr. Mohsin Dawar, MNA
14. Mr. Mehmood Khan Achakzai (President PKMAP)
15. Dr. Malik Baloch, Ex CM Balochistan (President NP)
16. Shah Awais Noorani, JUP
17. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi, Former SAPM
18. Mr. Sohail Mahmood, Secretary Foreign Affairs
19. Mr. Ali Haider Altaf, Chief of State Protoco;
    Personnel staff
20. Brigadier Muhammad Ahmad, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister
21. Mr. Sumair Ahmad Syed, Personal Staff Officer to the Prime Minister
22. Lieuteant Commander Bilal Ahmad Raja, Aide de Camp to the Prime Minister
23. Mr. Zia-ul-Haq (Valet)

    Security Staff

24. Superintendent of Police Mahzoor Ali Ghauri, CSO to the Prime Minister

    List of Family Members
    Islamabad-Jeddah

25. Mr. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif
26. Mrs. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif
27. Ms. Samawiyah Hamza Shahbaz, Daughter of Hamza Shahbaz
28. Ms. Nasreen, Maid of Mr. Hamza Shahbaz family
29. Capt Muhammad Safdar (Retd)
30. Mrs. Mariyum Nawaz Sharif
31. Mrs. Sabiha Abbas Sharif
32. Mr. Yousaf Abbas Sharif
33. Mrs. Yousaf Abbas Sharif
34. Mr. Umama Yousaf Abbas, Son of Yousaf Abbas Sharif

    Doha-Jeddah

35. Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
36. Mrs. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
37. Mr. Haider, Son of Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
38. Ms. Asma, Maid of Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif family

    London-Jeddah

39. Mr. Hussain Nawaz
40. Mrs. Hussain Nawaz
41. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
42. Mr. Adeel Ahmad Khan,  Chief of State Protocol

    PM’s Office

43. Mr. Abddul Rashid Shakir, Press Relation Officer to the Prime Minister
44. Mr. Mohsin Ali Mehmood, Assistant Protocol Officer
45. Mr. Ali Raza, Assistant Protocol Officer
46. Security Officer to the Prime Minister

    Media

47. Ghaffar, Engineer PTV
48. Farrukh Kiani, Cameraman PTV
49. Mr. Muhammad Shabbir, Photographer PID
50. Mr. Muhammad Zaheer, Cameraman APP

    Standby

51. Lieutenant Colonel Rehan Mehmood, Deputy Military Secretary to the Prime Minister
52. Major Abdul Rehman Arif, Aide de Camp to the Prime Minister
53. Mr. Muhammad Umer Faran, Press Relation Officer to the Prime Minister
54. Mr. Shahzad Basharat, Assistant Protocol Officer
55. Police Gunman
56. SSG Gunman

    Standby Media Team

57. Syed Muhammad Danish Ali, Engineer PTV
58. Mr. Muhamad Ikram Abbasi, Cameraman PTV
59. Mr. Basit Ali, Photographer PID
60. Mr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, Cameraman APP

    This list includes 21 other standby staff members and their families.