ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: Foreign visits of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in less than four months cost the national exchequer around Rs80 million.

According to details presented in the National Assembly by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday, the prime minister undertook five foreign trips between May 18 and August 3.

Over Rs34 million was spent on a six-day visit to the United Kingdom and United States from July 26 to 31 with a 50-member entourage.

A three-day visit to Egypt from May 18 with a 47-member entourage cost over Rs28 million.

Visits to Sri Lanka (August 1-3) and Malaysia (July 7-9) cost Rs8.39 million and 5.93 million, respectively.

A visit to Saudi Arabia from June 6 to 8 with a 78-member delegation cost Rs1.64 million.

The foreign minister himself twice visited the US, besides undertaking tours of the UK, France, Sri Lanka, India, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, China and Uganda till August.

Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Nauman Islam Sheikh told the house that Pakistan Railways suffered a loss of Rs15.03 billion during 2007-08.

Answering a question, he said that the PR generated an income of Rs19.2 billion and incurred an expenditure of Rs34.3 billion

He said the ministry would reform the railways and another 11 reservation offices would be computerised, first sleeper class would be replaced with lower AC, new imported coaches would be introduced in mail and express trains and journey time would be curtailed by removing several engineering restrictions.

Responding to a question about import of faulty locomotives from China, he said the issue had been examined at different forums and the Senate standing committee had recommended that China should be given preference.

He said the ministry had not signed any agreement for import of engines, carriages and signalling system during the past three years. However, 38 locomotives and 37 passenger coaches were imported from 2005 to 2007.

Mr Sheikh said that in order to increase the volume of freight traffic, the ministry would induct high-speed and high-capacity freight wagons, ensure better interaction with business community, promote public-private partnership, introduce online tracking system and complete doubling of track.

Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammed Gondal told the house that Pakistan topped the list of countries in drug eradication and its anti-narcotics force was considered one of the best across the globe.

“We are number one in the world in eliminating heroin and opium and third in hashish,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question on behalf of the minister for narcotics control.

He said 95 per cent of drugs were cultivated in Afghanistan and smuggled abroad.

Answering a question, he said the government had installed scanners along borders and in major cities to check movement of medicine containing cocaine. He said 1,377 drug smugglers -- 318 foreigners and 1,059 locals -- had been arrested during 2005-07.

Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza asked the minister for food and agriculture to institute strict checks on wheat hoarders and ensure its supply to flour mills at support price.

She also called for establishing a complaint cell to help growers register complaints against the mills which were purchasing wheat at less than the support price.