PESHAWAR, March 18: A special adviser to the caretaker provincial chief minister has urged the next federal and provincial governments not to opt for

VIP protocol, saying it will be a serious blow to the already depressed national economy.

According to a handout issued here on Tuesday, Sikandar Aziz said ministers and other dignitaries in the next governments should not use newly-purchased luxurious cars and they should take strict measures for curtailing non-official expenditures in their ministries and offices.

He also advised them to maintain a thorough check in their offices on the use of telephones, electricity, TA/DA and the “lavish spending” against the POL head.

“When a minister pays a visit outside the station he uses official vehicles and resides in the official accommodation then what is the justification of claiming huge TA/DA allowances,” he said.

He also advised for ban on hoisting national flags on staff cars of ministers, except the prime ministers, governors, chief ministers and assembly speakers.

He said that in the past, a majority of ministers were engaged in trade and business and that was why efforts to bring down prices failed.

If the trend continued, he said, the prices would go up further.