State-owned building in Washington to be put on sale, Marriyum Aurangzeb confirms

The authorities in Pakistan are preparing to sell a state-owned building in Washington DC, present in one of the poshest areas in United States capital Washington DC.

Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the news Wednesday, saying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on two state-owned buildings in Washington.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Aurangzeb shared that the decision to sell one of these buildings has been made by an inter-ministerial committee.

She said that the then-prime minister had ordered the renovation of the said buildings in Washington in 2010.

The renovation of one of these buildings has been completed and is ready to be given on rent while the renovation of the other building couldn't be completed so its diplomatic status ended in 2018, she added.

"Government of Pakistan has paid $1.3 million on account of tax for these buildings," the minister said, adding that the authorities will have to pay $100,000 every month if the building is not sold.

She added that transparent bidding has been conducted for the sale of the building and the bid is greater than the previous bid.

The building is one of Pakistan's diplomatic properties in the US but doesn't have any offices in it. 

It is located in the northwest of the city, which is home to the residences of former US president Barrack Obama, former president Donald Trump's daughter and Jeff Bezoz, one of the richest persons in the world.

Moreover, the area of the building scales up to 13,000 square feet. However, the structure is deteriorating as it hasn't been in use for decades.

The city administration had imposed a fine of $70,000 in 2016-17.