ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: Members of the federal cabinet have been banned from undertaking foreign visits during the transition period till Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz takes over as next prime minister.

Officials said that the cabinet division, on the instruction of Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has asked all ministers to cancel their visits which had been planned and not to commit new dates for visits abroad until the new government comes into office.

A couple of exceptions could not be ruled out for the foreign visits of ministers with the prior consent of the prime minister secretariat who might have very pressing pre-scheduled engagements abroad, sources said.