ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the ruling elitecould not afford the ostentatious life style which it was maintaining inthe past and the public buildings presently under use as Governor’s House,chief ministers houses, etc could be put to a more productive use byallowing access of the public to these buildings.
In order to oversee implementation of the decisions taken by the federalgovernment regarding adaptive re-use of public buildings with heritagevalue, the prime minister has written letters to all governors, chiefministers and federal ministers under his own signatures.The prime minister has stated in these letters that Pakistan was facing ahuge economic crisis. Pakistan’s total debt has soared to Rs 30 trillionand the country was paying Rs 6 billion as daily interest payment.
In this scenario, he said the ruling elite could not afford theostentatious life style which it was maintaining in the past. He has shownthe way by choosing to live in a modest house voluntarily, instead ofresiding in the palatial 1100 Kanals Prime Minister’s House.The Prime Minister has advised all concerned public office holders to takeaction on future use of these buildings already approved by him on therecommendations of a Committee of experts on priority basis as he would bemonitoring the progress himself through the National History & LiteraryHeritage Division.
To oversee progress on the decisions, a National Oversight Committee hasalso been constituted:-S.No. Name1. Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Chairman)2. Shafqat Mahmood, Minister for National History & Literary Heritage3. Muhammad Azam Khan, Secretary to the Prime Minister4. Engr. Aamir Hasan, Secretary, National History & Literary HeritageDivision,5. Tehmina Janjua, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (For State GuestHouses)6. Imran Zeb Khan Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Works (For FederalGovernment Properties)7. Arshad Mirza, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education & ProfessionalTraining (For Institution of HigherLearning, PM House)8. Dr. Tariq Banuri Chairman, Higher Education Commission (For Institutionof Higher Learning, PM House)9. All Chief Secretaries (For Respective Provincial Government Properties)
It may be added that the Prime Minister has approved the following adaptivere-use of these public buildings:-
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Sr.# Name of the building Future adaptive reuse Action By Time line1. Prime Minister’s House, Islamabad Approximately 1000 kanals of PM Houseand President House: Institute of Higher Learning/ Centre ofexcellence.Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training/HEC 3 to 5years2. Government House (Kashmir Point Murree) Boutique Hotel Government of thePunjab through lease agreement after observing codal formalities. 45 days3. Punjab House (Pindi Point, Murree) Tourist Motel/ Tourist ComplexGovernment of the Punjab through lease agreement after observing codalformalities. 45 days4. Punjab House and Governor House (Annexe) Rawalpindi Institute ofInformation Technology/IT Park/IncubationGovernment of the Punjab 3 Months5. Governor House, Lahore i). Building to be used as Heritage Museum andArt Galleryii). Grounds/Lawns/Parkland & Zoo open to Public.iii). A fence similar to Bagh-e-Jinnah should replace boundary wall (OnMall Side).iv). Boys & Girls School, VTI, Medical Centre, Laboratory, Library/Gym,Madrasa/Mosque will be fenced off.v). A nominal ticket may be imposed.Government of the Punjab 3 to 6 Months6. Free Masons Hall (CM Office), Lahore Crafts Museum/Conference Centre,Government of the Punjab.
200 days7. Chamba House, Lahore New Governor House (Office & Residence of theGovernor of Punjab) M/o Housing & Works to Handover to Punjab Governmentfor Execution 100 days8. State Guest House, Lahore Five Star Hotel on Lease basis through openbidding. Ministry of Foreign Affairs 100 days9. Governor House, Karachi i. Creating public activity spaces whilstproviding access to gardens for public use.
ii. Conversion into Arts & Cultural Centre Federal Government /Governmentof Sindhi. 100 daysii. 3 years10. State Guest House, Karachi May be leased out to the private sectorafter completing all codal formalities for conversion into a High EndHotel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 100 days11. Qasr-e-Naz, Karachi May be leased out to the private sector aftercompleting all codal formalities for conversion into a hotelMinistry of Housing & Works 100 days12. Governor House, Peshawari. Tribal and National History Museumii. Botanical Gardeniii. Art Garden Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3 years13. Governor House, Nathiagali Boutique Hotel by leasing out to the privatesector after observing all codal formalities, Government of KhyberPakhtunkhwa 100 days14. Governor House, Quettai. Main Building: Museum (Currently, there is no Museum in Quetta)ii. Annexe Building: Ethnography Display Museumiii. Lawns/Gardens may be converted into Ladies/Children Park with separateentrance. Government of Balochistan 3 Months
