Islamabad (August 08, 2018): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan will move to the Punjab House after taking oath as the PM rather than shifting to the palatial Prime Minister House.
While talking to media after visiting the official residence, PTI chief’s close aide Naeem-ul-Haque said that Khan has selected Punjab House as his official residence in the Federal Capital.
In his victory speech, Imran Khan had announced to use the palace like government buildings for public welfare as they consume billions of rupees taxpayers’ money.
The decision to live in a smaller, simpler residence will save the exorbitant amount of Pakistani Rs1.85 billion spent annually on the PM House.
The cricketer-turned politician has also vowed to ensure that his ministers and provincial chief ministers, where his party is in power, also follow principles of austerity.
Pakistan’s PM House, though a relatively new building inaugurated by the former deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif only two decades ago when he was elected for a second term, is located on the main Constitution Avenue, covering an area of 135 acres, and luxuriously appointed.
The red-brick, heavily guarded building is modeled after the Mughal era palaces that housed royalty.
The PM House features five spacious lawns, a fruit orchard, a number of swimming pools, a banquet hall, media and committee rooms.
There are also 10 servants quarters, residences for security officers, staff and members of the Public & Works Department and police.
Inside the PM House, around 50 protocol officers work in their offices.
The security budget of the complex is around Rs980 million, while Rs700 million are allocated for PM House staff.
Similarly, Rs150 million is spent annually on gifts for visiting dignitaries and guests, and Rs15 million on renovation and decoration.
According to the PTI leadership, four universities equalling the area of Pakistan’s top varsity — Quaid-e-Azam University (spread over 35 acres in the capital) — can be set up in the PM House.
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