All official residences to be converted into varsities, museums: minister

Shafqat Mahmood says PM House will be converted into high quality university

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday said that all high level official residences including Prime Minister House and Governor Houses in all provinces will be converted into higher educational institutions, museums, parks and five-star hotels.

Talking to media, he announced to construct a tourist hotel in Nathiagali to facilitate the people visiting the area. The minister said that around Rs 1.15 billion were being spent annually on these official residences which would be saved.

The minister said that Prime Minister house was comprised over 1096 Kannals and its annual expenditure was Rs470 million, adding that the PM House building would be converted into a high level Post Graduate Educational Institution.

The land of the PM house would also be utilized for constructions of the new buildings of university, the minister added. In this regard, he said “ a three-member committee has been constituted which includes Education Minister, Chairman HEC, Dr Tariq Banuri and Dr Atta ur Rahman which would take further steps for establishing the university.

Mahmood went on to say that Governor House Murree would be converted into a high level Heritage Boutique Hotel. “The Governor House Murree had been renovated with approximately an amount of Rs 600 million recently, while its annual expenditures was Rs 140 million,” he said.

The Punjab House situated at Pindi Point Murree would be converted into tourists’ complex, he said, and added that the annual expenditures on Punjab House Murree was around Rs 25 million.

The Punjab House and Governor House established in Rawalpindi were spread on over 50 Kannals and 20 kannals respectively and were being used as a rest house, he said adding that the total expenditure of both buildings was around Rs 40 million annually.

The minister said that these building would also be transferred into a high level educational institution adding; National Council of Arts Rawalpindi could be shifted in these buildings or an Information Technology Centre could also be established. The decision in this regard would be taken by the Punjab government, he added.

Shafqat Mahmood said: “The Governor House Lahore, established on 700 Kannals would be used for museum and art gallery while the grounds would be converted into the public parks. A vocational and technical Institute and a boys and girls school established in its jurisdiction would be separated from the Governor House building Lahore, Shafqat added.”

Karachi Governor House would be converted into a museum, while State Guest House Karachi would be used for Governor House and the decision to this effect would be taken with the consultation of Sindh government, he remarked.

“Qasr-e-Naz, a building located at best place of Karachi would also be converted into a Five-Star Hotel. Its annually expenditures are around 12 million” he informed.

He said that Governor House Balochistan has two portions and it would be used for museum while on the wish of Prime Minister, its grounds would be converted into the parks specifically for women.

While the Peshawar Governor House would be converted into the history museum, the minister said adding that its grounds would be converted into parks.