Senate body deliberations: Balochistan CM’s mother claims for PTDC hotel’s portion of land

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet will take into consideration on May 6 a petition of Princess Zainab, mother of Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal, seeking a share of land of the Flashman’s Hotel Rawalpindi.

“Further consideration of public petition submitted by Princess Zainab, mother of Jam Kamal, regarding Flashman’s Hotel Rawalpindi,” said item number one of the agenda of the scheduled session of the 13-member House body to be presided by its chairman Senator Talha Mahmood. The meeting notice did not disclose the contents of the plea.

However, asked about its details, a member of the Senate forum explained to The News that the princess had a certain amount of shares in the Flashman’s Hotel like others, which had been given to her as per the general practice. But she has demanded that she be proportionately given the land of the hotel according to the substantial number of her shares.

Princess Zainab is the widow of (late) former federal minister and ex-Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yousuf, whose father was also the chief minister of this province. The Flashman’s Hotel is run by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). Apart from the hotel, the adjoining land it owns is most prized for being situated in the heart of garrison town.

Built nearly 130 years ago and located on The Mall Rawalpindi, it was the first luxury hotel to open in the north of the Indian subcontinent.

One of two famous hotels in Rawalpindi – the other being now-closed Mrs Davis’ Hotel – Flashman’s barracks-style building was once visited by Indian elite and British army officers. It was, in particular, frequented by English visitors who came to the headquarters of the British Army’s Northern Command in Rawalpindi.

The hotel was founded by Charles Thomas Flashman, the owner of the 9.34 acre property on The Mall. In March 1917, he sold the hotel to Associated Hotels of India, a company run by an hotelier from Chakwal, Mohan Singh Oberoi.

After partition, Associated Hotels of Pakistan was incorporated in 1961 to take over the running of the Associated Hotels of India’s businesses. Its main shareholders were Associated Hotels of India, Oberoi Hotels and other private shareholders. Flashman’s, Faletti’s Hotel, Cecil Hotel and Deans Hotel were part of the venture.

Flashman’s has a long history of famous guests. Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto stayed in it when he was foreign minister in Ayub Khan’s cabinet. All the meetings of former president Ayub Khan’s cabinet were held in this hotel and major decisions were made in this building.

After the India-Pakistan war of 1965, the Pakistan government declared properties under the Associated Hotels of Pakistan to be enemy properties, whose affairs were to be managed by the West Pakistan Enemy Property Board – the custodian of enemy properties in the country.

On Sept 28, 1976 the four hotels Flashman’s, Faletti’s, Cecil and Deans came in the custody of the PTDC, and since then the PTDC has managed the affairs of the Associated Hotels of Pakistan. The other three hotels were privatised in 1999, but Flashman’s remains in PTDC’s custody. The hotel was built on Khasra Nos.17 to 22 Mall. It is connected to Canning Road, Haider Road, Murree Road and The Mall. The hotel building itself is an example of British barracks-style hotels, with woodwork in its rooms and halls that has faded with time.

The single-storey property is divided into two portions. One consists of its main halls, while the other comprises 73 family suites and executive lodges. The hotel’s swimming pool is surrounded by family suites, and the building’s architecture is a mix of Indian and English styles.

The Senate committee will also get briefing on planning, operating mechanisms and execution strategies of the cabinet decisions like selling off property and assets of ministries and allied departments; launching of national agriculture emergency programme worth Rs290 billion; modification of procedure for appointment of the heads of government departments.