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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
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Party heads
- Moulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, President (JUI-F)
- Moulana Asad Mehmood, Minister for Communications (JUI-F)
- Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNA (President PPPP)
- Ms. Shagufta Jumani, MNA (PPPP)
- Sardar Akhtar Mengal, MNA (President BNP-M)
- Sardar Khalid Magsi, MNA (BAP)
- Dr. Khaid Maqbool Siddiqui, MNA (President MQM-Pak)
- Mr. Ameer Haider Hoti, MNA (ANP)
- Nawabzda Shahzain Bugti, Minister for Narcotics (President JWP)
- Mr. Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, MNA
- Mr. Ali Nawaz Shah, MNA
- Mr. Mohsin Dawar, MNA
- Mr. Mehmood Khan Achakzai (President PKMAP)
- Dr. Malik Baloch, Ex CM Balochistan (President NP)
- Shah Awais Noorani, JUP
- Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi, Former SAPM
- Mr. Sohail Mahmood, Secretary Foreign Affairs
- Mr. Ali Haider Altaf, Chief of State Protoco;
Personnel staff - Brigadier Muhammad Ahmad, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Mr. Sumair Ahmad Syed, Personal Staff Officer to the Prime Minister
- Lieuteant Commander Bilal Ahmad Raja, Aide de Camp to the Prime Minister
- Mr. Zia-ul-Haq (Valet)
Security Staff
- Superintendent of Police Mahzoor Ali Ghauri, CSO to the Prime Minister
List of Family Members
Islamabad-Jeddah - Mr. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif
- Mrs. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif
- Ms. Samawiyah Hamza Shahbaz, Daughter of Hamza Shahbaz
- Ms. Nasreen, Maid of Mr. Hamza Shahbaz family
- Capt Muhammad Safdar (Retd)
- Mrs. Mariyum Nawaz Sharif
- Mrs. Sabiha Abbas Sharif
- Mr. Yousaf Abbas Sharif
- Mrs. Yousaf Abbas Sharif
- Mr. Umama Yousaf Abbas, Son of Yousaf Abbas Sharif
Doha-Jeddah
- Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
- Mrs. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
- Mr. Haider, Son of Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif
- Ms. Asma, Maid of Mr. Suleman Shehbaz Sharif family
London-Jeddah
- Mr. Hussain Nawaz
- Mrs. Hussain Nawaz
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Mr. Adeel Ahmad Khan, Chief of State Protocol
PM’s Office
- Mr. Abddul Rashid Shakir, Press Relation Officer to the Prime Minister
- Mr. Mohsin Ali Mehmood, Assistant Protocol Officer
- Mr. Ali Raza, Assistant Protocol Officer
- Security Officer to the Prime Minister
Media
- Ghaffar, Engineer PTV
- Farrukh Kiani, Cameraman PTV
- Mr. Muhammad Shabbir, Photographer PID
- Mr. Muhammad Zaheer, Cameraman APP
Standby
- Lieutenant Colonel Rehan Mehmood, Deputy Military Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Major Abdul Rehman Arif, Aide de Camp to the Prime Minister
- Mr. Muhammad Umer Faran, Press Relation Officer to the Prime Minister
- Mr. Shahzad Basharat, Assistant Protocol Officer
- Police Gunman
- SSG Gunman
Standby Media Team
- Syed Muhammad Danish Ali, Engineer PTV
- Mr. Muhamad Ikram Abbasi, Cameraman PTV
- Mr. Basit Ali, Photographer PID
- Mr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, Cameraman APP
This list includes 21 other standby staff members and their families.