How many thrones does Buzdar need?

ISLAMABAD: At least five offices and state residences located in Lahore are in the use of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, while senior minister Aleem Khan has set up his secretariat in one of these buildings.

These premises include 7-Club Road and 8-Club Road in the Government Officers Residence-1, 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam opposite the Punjab Assembly building, the Chief Minister’s Office at the Civil Secretariat, and the Chief Minister’s Annex.

Some of these palatial buildings figure on the list of official premises that the federal government plans to auction as part of its austerity drive. An official privy to the details of these premises told The News that a few of them were either built during Pervez Musharraf’s rule or were lavishly refurbished by his administration.

After assuming office, Buzdar has resided at 7-Club Road, like his predecessors Arif Nakai, Manzoor Wattoo and caretaker chief minister Najam Sethi. Located opposite to 7-Club Road is a four-storey building at 8-Club Road, which was constructed during Musharraf’s rule after space was created by demolishing a couple of houses of the GOR-1. Formally designated the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, it is the largest house in this exclusive locality and is considered the most splendid.

The new Punjab Chief Minister uses it as his secretariat. The residences of the Lahore High Court Chief Justice, Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police are located nearby. On Sunday, Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed civil servants working in Punjab at 8-Club Road.

However, the Chief Minister is yet to use his office at the Civil Secretariat, which houses the most historic cabinet room. Nor has he used the historic 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, formerly called the Freemason's Hall, where senior minister Aleem Khan has established his office. Because of its colonial era grandeur, it has been used in the past for ceremonial purposes. A very costly underground hall, the biggest in Lahore, was built there during Musharraf’s time.

There is also the Chief Minister’s Annex, adjacent to 8-Club Road. It comprises eight suites and is used to accommodate his guests. Some federal ministers also reside there during their visits to Lahore. It, too, was built during the Musharraf era.

Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan told The News that more premises would be listed for public auction, or would be put to some profitable use, with the passage of time. “By and by, more buildings will be added to the list.”

Chohan said the establishment of the office of Aleem Khan at 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam was legally sanctioned. When Chief Minister Buzdar wanted to hold a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentary party meeting, the underground hall of the building would be used because there was no other spacious premises available in any other government building. Chohan confirmed that the chief minister was not using his office at the Civil Secretariat and that Buzdar lived at 7-Club Road.

He claimed that Shahbaz Sharif had established over a dozen camp offices in Lahoreat the residences of his relatives, whereas the incumbent Chief Minister uses just a couple of offices. Imran Khan lives in a small section of the Prime Minister’s House and uses just one secretariat, and similar austerity was also being observed by the Punjab Chief Minister, Chohan said.

The minister said Shahbaz Sharif had announced plans to set up a university at 7-Club Road, but had reneged on his commitment. He claimed that the expenses being incurred on entertainment and protocol by the 40 ministers of the Punjab cabinet were less than expenditure incurred by one cabinet member of the Shahbaz Sharif government. “No minister is even availing weekly holidays,” Chohan said.

He claimed that Shahbaz Sharif had left the Punjab government in financial crisis. “Because of his policies, we are paying Rs3 billion every day on sovereign guarantees and other heads,” he said.

However, the official source told The News said that none of the palatial premises were ever used by Shahbaz Sharif as the chief minister or by any member of his cabinet. Neither Shahbaz Sharif or Nawaz Sharif lived at 7-Club Road when they were the chief minister, he said.

Likewise, Shahbaz Sharif never entered 8-Club Road during his nine years as the chief minister. Instead, he used 180-H Model Town, his hereditary property, to house guests.

This personal property was taken over by the Musharraf regime and converted into an home for elderly people. It was returned to the Sharifs in 2008. It was then demolished and rebuilt by them. Shahbaz Sharif used it for official and cabinet meetings. Its maintenance and expenses were borne by the Sharifs and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Shahbaz Sharif used the Chief Minister's Office at the Civil Secretariat a few times a year to hold cabinet meetings, the official said.