Pakistan rents out PM Imran Khan’s house
The government residence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is facing financial crisis, has been put on the market for rent. The residence was vacated by PM Imran Khan in August 2019, following the announcement of the ruling Tehreek-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, his plan to convert the prime minister’s house into a university. Sama TV reported that the federal government has now abandoned the plan and decided to rent out the property.
The federal cabinet, which had earlier announced a state-of-the-art federal educational institution in the Prime Minister’s House, has now decided to allow people to organize cultural, fashion, educational and other events, according to sources cited by local media. Premises located in Red Zone, Islamabad.
Sama TV said, “Two committees have been constituted for this purpose. They will be responsible to ensure that the discipline and decorum of PM House is not violated during the programmes.”
According to local media, the federal cabinet will meet and discuss ways to raise revenue from the PM House building.
Funds can be raised by renting out the auditorium of the Prime Minister’s residence, two guest wings and a lawn. There will also be high level diplomatic events, international seminars at the former chief workplace of the Pakistani Prime Minister.
Imran Khan, after taking over as the country’s prime minister, declared that the government of Pakistan did not have money to spend on public welfare schemes, while some in the country were “living like our colonial masters”.
Since then he has been staying at his Bani Gala residence and uses only the PM’s office.
Pakistan’s economy has shrunk by $19 billion in the last three years since Khan came to power. When he became the PM, he took many drastic steps to cut government expenditure to give relief to the country’s economy.
Earlier, former finance minister Miftah Ismail had remarked that the Imran Khan-led regime was “playing with the economy”, adding that it had increased the debt of government and state institutions by Rs 45,000 billion.
(with ANI inputs)
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