The federal cabinet has allocated at least 33 bulletproof cars to the Prime Minister's Office and President House in a meeting held on Tuesday.
After coming to power, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan has preached austerity. In his first address, PM Imran said he planned to have only two servants instead of 524 reserved for a sitting premier. He had also announced plans to sell a fleet of bullet-proof vehicles to help Treasury shortfalls.
The numbers of employees at the PM House reduced to only 180 from 522, whereas, the present government spent Rs316 million so far during the two-year period as compared with the last year’s expenditures up to Rs509 million in 2018.
Moreover, the prime minister also decided to cut down the expenses of the PM House and the President House by reducing their perks. On Sept 20, Imran order his aide Babar Awan to present a bill that would legislate in this regard.
Imran Khan's government also sold off eight highly-prized buffaloes that had been kept at Prime Minister House, where they reportedly provided milk for Nawaz Sharif, Imran's predecessor, and his family.
BBC reported: "The buffalo auction, which raised $19,000 (£14,500) in total, was the second sale of government assets in the last 10 days. The first, which included bullet-proof jeeps, brought in $600,000."
Hasan Latif - who paid $2,500 for one of the animals - told BBC Urdu that he already owns a commercial dairy farm, but was keen to buy one of these buffaloes due to their famous connection.
After coming to power, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan has preached austerity. In his first address, PM Imran said he planned to have only two servants instead of 524 reserved for a sitting premier. He had also announced plans to sell a fleet of bullet-proof vehicles to help Treasury shortfalls.
The country will begin an austerity drive to reduce debt, a campaign he will kick-start by selling his office’s fleet of bullet-proof cars, said the prime minister. “I want to tell my people, I will live a simple life, I will save your money,” he had said.
An INP report on September 9 claimed that the present government had reduced the expenses of Prime Minister (PM) House up to 68 per cent under its austerity measures. The expenses of staff and other expenditures of the PM House had visibly reduced from over Rs500 million to Rs310 during the last two years.
The numbers of employees at the PM House reduced to only 180 from 522, whereas, the present government spent Rs316 million so far during the two-year period as compared with the last year’s expenditures up to Rs509 million in 2018.
Moreover, the prime minister also decided to cut down the expenses of the PM House and the President House by reducing their perks. On Sept 20, Imran order his aide Babar Awan to present a bill that would legislate in this regard.
"While showing his commitment to cutting down the expenditures of the national exchequer, PM Imran Khan decided to reduce perks and privileges of the president and prime minister," it was reported.
Buffaloes sold
Imran Khan's government also sold off eight highly-prized buffaloes that had been kept at Prime Minister House, where they reportedly provided milk for Nawaz Sharif, Imran's predecessor, and his family.
BBC reported: "The buffalo auction, which raised $19,000 (£14,500) in total, was the second sale of government assets in the last 10 days. The first, which included bullet-proof jeeps, brought in $600,000."
Hasan Latif - who paid $2,500 for one of the animals - told BBC Urdu that he already owns a commercial dairy farm, but was keen to buy one of these buffaloes due to their famous connection.