Daily Times

The spokesman of Chief Minister’s Office has released the details of expenditures incurred during the current and previous governments for the renovation and maintenance of CM’s residence at 7-Club Road and his office on 8-Club Road. According to the spokesman, not that much amount was spent on renovation of aging 7-Club Road, which was used by the previous government in the name of this abandoned CM Office. The building of 7-Club Road is many decades old and after former chief ministers Manzoor Wattoo and Sardar Asif Nakai, this building has not been used as CM’s residence. It was declared as an office in the first tenure of Shahbaz Sharif. This building was remained neglected with very few staff in the tenure of Pervez Musharraf as Governor House was the centre point of all activities.

Ch Pervaiz Elahi, during his tenure, used this building as his office for some time, whereas Shahbaz Sharif during his two tenures of ten years visited here perhaps 15, 20 times. Former CM Shahbaz Sharif merely used 7- Club Road as his office. Offices of 96-H and 180-H Model Town were the pivot of his political and government activities. According to the spokesman, Usman Buzdar after holding the portfolio of Punjab Chief Minister started using 7-Club Road as his residence. The 7- Club Road building was in a dilapidated condition due to the negligence spanning over many decades, therefore, renovation and maintenance of this building is utmost necessary to make it worth living place.

During the last fiscal year 2018-19, Communication & Works department spent Rs.2.30 crore on the repair and maintenance of 7- Club Road whereas only Rs.54 lakh were spent in the first six months of the current fiscal year in this regard. C&W department spent Rs.2.36 crore in the fiscal year 2016-17 and Rs.2.85 crore in the fiscal year 2017-18 in the same head when CM was not residing here. The spokesman said that it is worth mentioning that 7- Club Road is the only residence of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar which has office and meeting rooms. Despite that Usman Buzdar is residing in 7-Club Road, the expenditures made on this building are much less than the amount spent in the previous governments which reflects the austerity policy of Buzdar’s government.

He said that Buzdar’s government is utilizing the people money with honestly. Government resources were utilized for personal interest during the previous tenures. Under the austerity policy, only poshish of the furniture has been changed instead of purchasing new furniture. Drain pipes of toilets and worn out curtain have been changed. The new curtains have been purchased at the rate of Rs.180 per sq feet. The spokesman also negated the purchase of luxurious furniture for the building.

According to rules, CM can give high-tea or dinner in meetings and the expenditures are met under entertainment and gifts heads. He further maintained that Rs.5.38 crore were spent in the year 2018-19 and Rs.2.04 crore in the first six months of current fiscal year in the heads of Entertainment or Gifts. Whereas, Rs. 8.61 crore were spent from the national exchequer in 2016-17 and Rs.8.99 crores were spent in 2017-18 in the heads of Entertainment and Gift. The spokesman further clarifies that Chief Minister annexe was being used from 2004 as a VVIPs guest house and following the tradition the same uses for the residence of Prime Minister, advisors and federal ministers. From May 2018 to May 2019, federal ministers, advisors and other federal officers used this annexe. However, these facts can also not be ignored that during the tenure of the previous government, 2-College Road GOR-I and 22/B GOR-III were used as guest houses. But Chief Minister Usman Buzdar used his only office for meetings with guests coming from Taunsa and DG Khan.

The spokesman said that purchase of gold and silver plated crockery has never been purchased for CM office and added that the new given in this regard is baseless and contradicted to the facts. It is worth mentioning that the only Rs 9 lac was spent in last fiscal year in the head of crockery and in the first six months of current year Rs.1 lac only has been spent under the head. Whereas, Rs.9 lac were spent in the year 2016-17 and Rs 11 lakh were spent for purchasing crockery in the year 2017-18. Funds utilized for all necessary expenditures are much lesser than the funds utilized during the previous tenure. news desk

DETAILS OF EXPENDITURES IN CM OFFICE

Entertainment and gifts

Financial year 2016-17 Rs.86.198 million

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.89.991 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.53.818 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Nov.) Rs.20.451 million

Furniture

Financial year 2016-17 Rs.0.741 million

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.0.641 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.1.499 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Dec.) Rs.0.498 million

Petrol

Financial year 2016-17 Rs.30.318 million

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.34.999 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.21.918 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Dec.) Rs.12.409million

Repair of vehicles

Financial year 2016-17 Rs.62.905 million

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.42.499 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.29.396 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Dec.) Rs.07.125 million

Repair & maintenance of (Communication & Works Deptt)

Financial year 2016-17 Rs.23.656 million

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.28.579 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.23.056 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Jan.) Rs.05.481 million

Wages of contract employees of CM’s Office

Financial year 2017-18 Rs.66.499 million

Financial year 2018-19 Rs.01.980 million

Financial year 2019-20 (till Dec.) Rs.00.825 million