LAHORE, February 14: Former President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had given tips at dinners and luncheons on foreign visits worth Rs 11.4 million. A private television channel quoted the documents recently obtained having said that during 2006 and 2009 when the inflation was at the highest throughout the world and the state budgets repeatedly claimed that the non-developmental budget was being cut down, Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz spent 114,000 US dollars in tips.
The TV report said that there was one instance where 3000 pounds were given in tip while on another occasion in Ankara 7000 dollars were given as tip.
Reacting to the report, the private television channel News group editor Sohail Warraich said that a distinction needed to be made in this regard.
He said that these could be state dinners as well and in that case the expenses should have been borne by the state. However, if the dinners were personal or private and had nothing to do with the state then the tip should have been given from their own pockets.
When I first went to the United States, we were told during the briefing by the State Department to offer 10 to 15 percent of the amount of the bill as tip. But these tips should be provided from one’s own pocket. If it is a state dinner, there is s no need for an inquiry. But if these dinners were private in nature, these people should have given the tip. It should be looked at from case to case basis, he said. -NNI
