When Prime Minster took oath of office, he declared before members of the combined house of Parliament various austerity measures to be followed in government offices and by public representatives. What became of those tall promises nobody knows. According to the facts presented before the National Assembly by Foreign Minister, Prime Minster's five foreign visits undertaken in just four months have cost the nation's exchequer a cool Rs80m. On each of these visits, the number of people in the entourage who enjoyed free excursion ranged from 50 to 80. At the time when country is passing through such a serious economic crisis forcing her to beg for assistance from IMF and our international friends, spending such huge sums on foreign jaunts is a criminal waste. I request the President and Prime Minster to visit foreign countries only when it is essentially required from national point of view. A little more circumspection in this matter is required. -SHAFQAT HUSSAIN QURESHI, Hyderabad, via e-mail, December 25.