Government of Pakistan

Cabinet Secretariat
(Cabinet Division)
Islamabad, the 19th February 2003

No.9-148/2002-Min.II

INSTRUCTION ON VISITS ABROAD

Instructions on foreign visits alongwith the procedure for process the case on the subject are
as follows:
I.

Visit abroad by officers/officials upto and

including BPS 19 and their equivalent
working
in
Autonomous/
SemiAutonomous Bodies and Corporation

(i)

(ii)

II.

Visit abroad of officers in BPS-20 and

their
equivalent
working
in
Autonomous/Semi-Autonomous Bodies
and Corporations.

(i)

III.

Visits abroad of officers in BPS-21 and 22

(other than Secretaries/ Additional
Secretaries
Incharge)
and
their
equivalent; working in Autonomous/SemiAutonomous Bodies and Corporations
including MP-I, MP-II, MP-III, M-I and M-II
(except Heads of Autonomous/SemiAutonomous Bodies in MP-I) and Heads
of Departments.

(ii)

(i)

(ii)

Where no Government funding is involved,

Secretary/Additional Secretary Incharge of
Ministry/Division
concerned
will
be
competent to accord permission.
Where Government funds or funds of the
concerned
Autonomous
Bodies/
Corporations are involved, approval of the
Minister Incharge will be necessary subject
to the availability of funds in the relevant
budget and prior clearance by the Ministry
of Finance.
Where no Government funding is involved,
Secretary/Additional Secretary Incharge of
Ministry/Division
concerned
will
be
competent to accord permission.
Where Government funds or funds of the
concerned
Autonomous
Bodies/
Corporations are involved, approval of the
Prime Minister will be necessary subject to
the availability of funds in the relevant
budget and prior clearance by the Ministry
of Finance.
In case of non-involvement of Government
funds, Minister Incharge will be competent.
In case of involvement of Government
funds or funds of the Autonomous
Bodies/Corporation concerned (direct or
indirect including project loans repayable
by Government), the Prime Minister will be
competent to approve subject to prior
clearance by the Ministry of Finance.

2.
Visits abroad by Members of the National Security Council, Federal Ministers, Ministers of
State, Advisers/Special Assistants to the Prime Minister, persons holding the status of Federal
Minister or Minister of State without Cabinet rank, Provincial Governors, Secretaries/Additional
Secretaries Incharge of the Ministries/Divisions and Heads of Autonomous/Semi Autonomous
Bodies and Corporation in MP-I scale will require prior approval of the Prime Minister.
3.
Visits abroad by Provincial Minister will need prior approval of the Chief Minister of the
Province concerned.
4.
The elected Local Government officials at District and lower levels such as District
Nazims/Naib Nazims and other elected officials should undertake foreign visits in their official
capacity only with the approval of the concerned Provincial Chief Minister in consultation with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in coordination with the Pakistan Missions in the host country.
5.
The visits of Ministers and other delegations should be well panned and be made only if
essential and serve vital national interests.
1

Cabinet Division U.O. No. 9-148/2002-Min.II, dated 26th April, 2010

-: 2 :6.
At the conclusion of a foreign visit the delegation/official shall submit post
visit report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs Division within 15
days of completion of the visit.
7.
All Ministers/delegations proceeding abroad on official visit shall secure
necessary briefing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure.
8.
Ministries/Divisions shall ensure that to the maximum extent possible,
officers of Pakistan Embassies in the country in which meeting/conference is to take
place, represent Pakistan at such meetings. However, the Ministries/Divisions
concerned shall provide proper briefing material to the Pakistan Missions abroad
well in time. Meetings/Conferences which can be handled by Pakistan Missions
abroad will be identified and proper intimation sent to the concerned missions.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall coordinate in such matters. In case the visit is
considered absolutely unavoidable, proposal should be prepared carefully after
thorough evaluations so as to ensure adoption of the least cost option.
9.
All cases of visits
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

abroad

will

require

clearance

from

the

10.
For undertaking private visits, clearance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
would not be required.
11.
NOC for proceeding abroad by all government servants will be required from
parent Division/Head of Department.
12.
No Minister or Government functionary should solicit at his own an invitation
for participation in Training, Seminars, Conferences, Workshops, Meetings etc. from
any source.
13.
Members of the National Security Council, Federal Ministers, Ministers of
State, Advisers, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister, persons holding the status
of Federal Minister or Minister of State without Cabinet rank, 1Parliamentary
Secretaries, Provincial Governors, Chief Ministers and Provincial Ministers should
not avail of any offer of air fare or per-diem made by a Foreign Government or
International Agency for a visit abroad 2except made by UN Agencies.
14.
Both the Minister and the Secretary of a Ministry/Division should not be out of
the country at the same time. However, simultaneous visit abroad of both the
Minister and the Secretary will only be allowed in unavoidable and very exceptional
circumstances. The Ministries/Divisions seeking such an exemption would be
required to add a paragraph to the summary fully justifying the exemption being
sought.
_______________________________
1Added
2

vide Cabinet Divisions u .o. note No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 19.12.2008

Added vide Cabinet Divisions u. o. note No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 02.10.2009

-: 3 :15.
Summaries seeking orders of the Prime Minister should reach at least
1
eight (08) days in advance prior to the visit abroad through Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, Finance (where applicable) and the Cabinet Division (in this order) and
should contain details of expenditure involved including the Foreign Exchange
component and balance in the relevant budget head (in the main body of the
Summary) and details of previous visits abroad during the last twelve months.
2Provided

that in cases of obligatory meetings which were fully funded or

Government funds were available and no additional funds were required, the
summaries for visits abroad of the Federal Secretaries would be submitted to
the
Prime
Ministers
Secretariat
directly
by
the
respective
Ministries/Divisions. However, a copy of such summaries shall be endorsed
to Ministry of Foreign Affairs simultaneously so that Foreign Affairs could
issue advice, if required.
2Provided

further that copy of summary containing final approval will be

endorsed to the Cabinet Division for information/record.
16.
Officers detailed to attend Meetings/Seminars etc. should not leave Pakistan
without prior approval.
17.
The Finance Division shall ensure that the duration and membership of all
visits abroad involving Government funds is kept at the bare minimum.
18.
In cases of participation in Conferences, Seminars, Workshops etc.
categorization of the same i.e. either Obligatory as classified and circulated vide
Cabinet Divisions O.M. No. 1-3/2005-Min-II, dated 23.09.2005 or Desirable,
may invariably be indicated in the summary.
3

19. The members of the Cabinet should not take their personal staff along with
them on foreign tours and, instead, use the services of the embassy staff.
4

20. The members of the Cabinet shall not undertake any local or foreign tour
during National Assembly/Senate Sessions.
5

21. The Ambassadors of Pakistan should normally sign agreements with the
countries of their accreditation and, as far as possible; visits abroad should not be
undertaken by the officers of the Ministries/Divisions to sign such agreements.
6

22. All members of the Cabinet shall use PIA flights during their foreign trips.
If there is no direct flight to a particular destination, they should fly by PIA to the
nearest destination.

_______________________________
1Added

vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 11.04.2009

vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.1-3/2005-Min-II, dated 23.09.2005
3Added vide Cabinet Divisions d.o No.9-51/2003-Min-II, dated 02.06.2003
4Added vide Cabinet Divisions d.o No.9-51/2003-Min-II, dated 31.01.2004
5Added vide Cabinet Divisions d.o No.9-51/2003-Min-II, dated 24.04.2003
6Added vide Finance Divisions O.M No.2(2)Ex-Exp/2005, dated 12.10.2005
2Added

-: 4 :23. All Government officers/officials and members of official delegations

proceeding abroad at government expenses to book their air passage with PIA.
Even in cases when travel is to be performed by a foreign air line, the bookings are
required to be arranged through PIA after prior clearance of Finance Division.
1

24. Name and designation of the officer who is authorized by the

Secretary/Additional Secretary Incharge to look after the work in his absence,
should invariably be indicated in the main body of the Summary.
3

25. Experts/Consultants engaged temporarily and who have been engaged on

the basis of the expertise which they already possess will not be eligible for visits
abroad.
4

26. Keeping in view the austerity measure relating to travel, the chairman,
executives, members of the boards of all public sector organizations shall travel by
economy plus class on domestic routes.
5

27.
The Summaries containing proposals for seeking approval of the
Prime Minister on the visits abroad should be routed in the following order:1.

Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

2.

Secretary, Finance Division (where government funding,

in any way, involved);

3.

Secretary, Cabinet Division; and

4.

Principle Secretary to the Prime Minister.

28. Visits abroad of the officers working under the projects running on foreign
loans/grants etc. which are to be repaid in any manner by the Government of
Pakistan and such cases shall also require the approval of the Prime Minister.
7

29. Summaries relating to visits abroad should include the exact duration of the
visit i.e. total number of days including the travelling time.
8

30. All Federal Ministers/Ministers of State/Advisers/Special Assistants/Officers

etc. will be allowed to avail not more than three (03) obligatory visits abroad per
year.
___________________________________
1Added

vide Finance Divisions O.M No.2(2)Ex-Exp/2005, dated 12.10.2005

vide Cabinet Divisions d.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 30.11.2007
3Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-152/2002-Min-II, dated 21.04.2008
4Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 10.10.2009
5Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 01.03.2010
6Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 21.05.2010
7Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 07.10.2010
8Added vide Cabinet Divisions u.o No.9-148/2002-Min-II, dated 13.03.2012
2Added

(SHIREEN MALIK SHER)

Section Officer (Min-II)