Austerity Drive? Imran Khan reaches Malaysia on VIP plane

Forgetting to practice what is preached, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan raised eyebrows on Tuesday when he reached Malaysia in a VIP aircraft for his official visit.

"PM Imran Khan reached Malaysia on an official trip - he took a scheduled commercial flight flying club class as promised when he took his oath of office," Omar R. Quraishi, a journalist who has previously worked for Dawn, tweeted just a few moments after Khan landed in Malaysia.

Tall promises to practice austerity unlike previous Prime Ministers of the nation were made by Khan during his August 19 address to the nation, where he said that he would avoid living a life of luxury, unlike his predecessors. Towards this, an austerity drive was launched to usher in 'Naya' Pakistan, starting with the auction of the Prime Minister's cars and a claim to convert the Prime Minister's House into a university.

"I want you to understand that the money we lavish on ourselves could be spent on those who our state has left behind. Naya Pakistan also requires a 'nayi soch'. We have to think about those who we have left behind," Khan had said during his public address on August 19, according to Dawn.

"The prime [minister and chief] ministers all have helicopters and airplanes to fly them," Pakistan's Prime Minister had further said while making other promises to cut down expenses.

He has previously come under the scanner for using a helicopter to travel between the PM house and his residence in Banigala, just a few days after his August 19 address.