‘Nawaz paid all expenses incurred on family at PM House’

ISLAMABAD: Since Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced to use the palace-like PM House for public welfare because of the heavy expenses incurred on the national kitty, several politicians have come forward detailing where they used to live while in power.

One such example was revealed by the ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail about Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who stayed in his own house in Islamabad and never moved to the 11,00-kanal official residence, which has 524 employees.

Similarly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah is also known to have stayed at his personal residence in Karachi and only using the CM House for official meetings.

While PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif is blamed for having an extravagant lifestyle, PM Imran Khan was surprised to know that the former premier paid all the expenses on his family at the PM House from his own pocket.

This was shared by Geo News anchorperson Saleem Safi last night during analysis on Khan’s maiden speech.

‘PM Khan asked the PM Office staff about expenditures incurred by Nawaz Sharif in his tenure as PM. The officials told the new PM that Sharif did all the expenditures from his pocket and never used taxpayers’ money, the anchorperson told Geo News.

‘He (Imran Khan) didn't believe till he was shown invoices confirming the PML-N supremo never used public money as PM.’

Later, Senator Musadik Malik confirmed that the former premier handed cheques amounting millions or rupees when he vacated the PM House. 

He said that government pays for salaries of Prime Minister House staff .

"If government auctions all PM House vehicles, who will arrange transport for foreign dignitaries?" he questioned. 

Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Sherry Rehman on Monday tweeted: “I had four federal ministries, never moved to minister colony but stayed in my own tiny house in Islamabad.”

It is to be seen how much the PTI remains successful in implementing the austerity measures it has announced in its manifesto.