News Analysis |
In the latest development, the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to convert the Prime Minister House into an educational institution; Minister for National History and Literary Heritage Division Shafqat Mehmood said on Thursday. According to details, the Governor House in Lahore will be turned into a museum and art gallery, its park will be open for public, he added. Hall located on 90 Shahrah will be made convention center and the Chamba House will operate as Governor Office.
The Governor Houses in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Mehmood said, will be turned into museums, whereas the Governor House in Nathia Gali will be made into a state-of-art resort. The Minister also informed about considerations regarding turning the Governor House in Karachi into a museum. “We will consult the Sindh government on the matter,” he said.
Pakistan is facing the menace of extremism and terrorism, it will be more important to take some serious security measures before the government finally plans to turn the PM house into a university.
In his maiden speech to the nation on August 19, PM Khan had said that there were 524 persons to serve the prime minister at the 1100-Kanal PM House, coupled with 80 cars, including 33 bulletproof ones having a price of Rs 50 million each, besides helicopters and an airplane. “At one hand the nation was burdened with debt and on the other, we have the elite. This system was created by the British during the colonial era to rule the masses, but even after independence the same practice was being followed,” PM remarked.
It should be remembered that in the 2018-19 budget, a heavy sum of Rs986 million has been allocated for PM House. According to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), it encompasses 800 Kanal of land in which PM house and residential apartments of the staff are constructed. As a matter of fact, Imran Khan is not the first one who has said not to use the official residence rather in 1997 and 2013 the ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also said the same. But due to security threats, these words could have not been turned into reality.
Read more: PTI Government opens up PM House for public
In 2013, PM Imran Khan himself said to turn the KPK governor and Chief Minister House into an educational institution but these could also not happen. But PM Khan has now seriously done what he promised to do. However, it will be difficult to operate an educational institution at the place which is said to be “Red Zone”. There are obviously security reasons for not making the place available for all and sundry. Pakistan is facing the menace of extremism and terrorism, it will be more important to take some serious security measures before the government finally plans to turn the PM house into a university.
Read more: Is Imran Khan’s decision to turn PM house into an educational…
Interestingly, a professor of history at Quaid-e-Azam University Dr. Ilhan Niaz believes that the building cannot be converted to university owing to security concerns but should be made civil service academy or any training institution. He further added that our politicians spent a deluxe life. Luxury became the crucial part of their living style. Indeed, they spent a more luxurious life than they (native politicians) used to spend in sub-continent under English rulers.