Spock

^ Right on, the sad thing is, even if these leaders are the sort of people that we all know arent very fond of religion, they still like to go for lavish umras on state expenditure, as indicated by our previous president sahib.

Also, Mr. Soomro seems to have made up for his short caretaking tenure by bumping up the stakes on his umrah:

Soomro's 'royal pilgrimage' cost PIA $2.8m | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Rock_Express

^ If Mr President sahib goes than what possibility is there that he will not beat expenses incurred by Soomoros visit?

Spock

Mr. President has 5 years to do his umrahs, whereas Mr. Soomro, another gift from the Q league had 3 months, though he got a bonus just now, so he had to make up for those multiple umrahs and had to fit it all in one go.

Rock_Express

^ Yes officially he has 5 years left; but we have to wait if he lasts that long. He better go as as soon as he can as he may not getter chance to go on a freebie.

mAd_ScIeNtIsT

That is doubly shameful, given that the same article shows that Pakistan's former Queen, Elizabeth II, now flies on normal commercial aircraft rather than VVIP planes that our current presidents use.

A source in CAA said that Britain's Queen Elizabeth who is also the Constitutional Monarch of Australia went to that country by a British Airways scheduled flight, with part of First Class cordoned off from passengers.

Flying the national flag carrying airline is good enough for the Queen of the UK and 15 other countries, but not good enough for the President of Pakistan? For shame, for shame.

Spock

Yes it is, I agree. However, Soomro was not the President at that time, he was the caretaker Prime minister, as part of the Mush/Q league Govt.

I do remember back in 1997, that the Govt stopped using special flights for travel, but somewhere down the line they started doing it again. This VIP culture keeps coming back.

bob_chasm

I dont think QE2 travelling on western airlines to Australia faces the same risk of terrorist attacks, as leaders of Pakistan traveling on commercial PIA flights to the Middle East. Hopefully, some of the money for such flights is paid by US assistance to Pakistan on the war of terror. I agree with you that unscrupulous individuals will take adavantage of tragic situations.

GoldenAsif

bara hi beysharam banda hai yeh soorma aka Soomro I remember he sanctioned a comprehensive benefits package for all retired Senate Chairmen (essentially for himself) so that he and his family could continue to live a life of luxury after retirement.

aakhirat sunvaray ya na sunvaray lekin post retirement ayyashi mein koi kami nahin aani chahiye!!

Spock

If the threat was that grave he should have just 'avoided' this lavish muft umrah trip which cost so much money. I am sure Allah would have rewarded him without his sarkaari umrah.

Spock

Exactly. People cry about dictatorships being good for getting things done without any resistance, but what good is a dictatorship if the dictator cant come and punish people like Soomro? Also, keep in mind that Soomro was another gift we got from this dictatorship. He was one of the staunchest allies of Musharraf, who was rewarded aptly for his blind loyalty. I hope the Govt revokes his benefits package too!

Here are some of his other kartoots:

Him wanting a Merc in 2006 because the NA speaker got a better car, while the common man longs for atta
Mr. Soomro’s Mercedes Vs Daal Chawal | Karachi Metblogs

Musharraf appoints ally as caretaker prime minister | World news | guardian.co.uk

Heres a story about him approving a BIG benefits package for himself:
Soomro’s gift to himself: Live happily forever

He asked the Pak Counsulate in Jeddah to host a big tea party for him which cost us Saudi Riyals 200,000.

bob_chasm

Dude you complain too much. I can just imagine, the day you become president you will pass an order to investigate all Pakistanis who sit connected to the internet all day, idlly talking on the message boards. Find out where they get the money to do it. Then you will spend the next five years investigating yourself. They probably go to Saudia because it is cheaper to meet middle eastern leaders and western leaders over there than in Islamabad.

Spock

^ lol the way you are defending soomro's 'royal' pilgrimage is pathetic... Aap key janney walley tu nahee hai Soomro, or is it because of the blind musharraf support, considering soomro was a top ally?

Not that anyone will buy your excuses, but he didnt go there to meet middle eastern leaders, nor was he invited, he went for his own personal sarkaari umrah.

TheRealDeal

Unless i am mistaken, i believe you defended Mush when he bought his third private jet last year??

TheRealDeal

I knew u would go 'silent' on this point

mAd_ScIeNtIsT

True, but I've changed my perspective after reading more about how Britain has been slashing VVIP air travel costs despite terrorist threats.

TheRealDeal

Except this was point about UK VVIP travel was put to you when Mush's increasing private fleet was discussed.

It seems you are happy for Mush to have been corrupt, but will not tolerate anything from anybody else.

mAd_ScIeNtIsT

No, that point was not given.

Luxury jet for Musharraf

TheRealDeal

That was not the thread I was referring to.

TheRealDeal

While we are on the topic, it seems Zardari is using normal PIA flights, quite a change from the Kings lifestyle Mush used to indulge in

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Zardari arrives in Dubai
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Dubai on a private visit late on Friday. According to officials, the president travelled in a regular Pakistan International Airlines flight.