61 cars of PM House auctioned for Rs120 million

ISLAMABAD: The government Monday auctioned off 61 out of 102 vehicles of Prime Minister House fetching Rs120 million. The vehicles were put up for sale as part of Prime Minister Imran Khan's austerity drive.

Administrator PM House Major Asif told reporters here that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will re-evaluate the prices of vehicles which were unable to find buyers at the auction. He said the 102 vehicles presented for auction had a value of over Rs1 billion adding that Rs120 million fetched from the sale of 61 vehicles had been deposited into the state kitty.

The government hopes to receive a bid of over Rs160 million for bombproof vehicles. As many as two bombproof vehicles were unable to find buyers. Four recent models of Mercedes, eight bulletproof BMWs, three 5000CC SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs of 2016 model were among the vehicles put up for auction.

Moreover, 24 Mercedes Benz of 2016 model were also part of the auction. Two of the cars are 4,000cc bullet-proof vehicles. Further, 40 Toyota cars which include a 2004 Lexus, a 2006 Lexus SUV, and two 2004 model Land Cruisers were also up for auction.

Other vehicles that were auctioned included eight Suzuki cars, five Mitsubishi vehicles, nine Hondas and two jeeps. Earlier, speaking to reporters, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the first batch of vehicles fetched above-the-market price.

He said fast progress was under way for an agreement with the Swiss government to bring back the looted money stashed in banks there. He said there had been legislation across the Europe against the ill-gotten money.

Referring to the accord with Britain, he said this would benefit Pakistan. He said an accord will also be signed with the Saudi government on combating corruption. He emphasised that the law would grip the corrupt. The minister alleged that the previous government deliberately delayed the signing of an agreement with the Swiss government.

Replying to a question about the fresh initiative launched by Pakistan and Britain on the looted money, he said it was an important agreement with regard to what he alleged Pakistan’s major ‘offenders’.

“It will pave way for bringing Altaf Hussain, Ishaq Dar, Hasan and Husain back to Pakistan,” he maintained. To a question, Fawad said 70 vehicles of Prime Minister House had been auctioned off fetching more money than the market price while the remaining bomb-proof and bullet-proof vehicles, classified as protected, would be auctioned in the next phase.

The minister pointed out that it was a successful auction and its objective was to send a message to the public that their elected prime minister was from them and the public money would not be wasted.

Fawad said the government had undertaken the austerity drive and opened the Governors Houses to the public. He said the public responded well and 25,000 people had visited the places so far.