Foreign Ministry approves $25,000 for renovation of just one bathroom

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Ministry has sanctioned $25,000 for the repair and renovation of just one bathroom of the official residence in New York of the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Informed sources said that in the name of renovation of the official residence of Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, already $50,000 have been spent from Mission’s account, $225,000 are committed whereas additional $25,000 has now been sanctioned for the renovation of the master bathroom.

Operative part of an official letter dated June 24, 2020, issued by Foreign Ministry and addressed to Parepun New York (Permanent Representative UN), reads as: “2. The Foreign Secretary has given approval for the expenditure amounting to $25,000/- for the repair and renovation of the master bathroom of the permanent representative, subject to fulfillment of all codal formalities. 3. Parepun New York is required to please convey relevant bank account details to Parep New York (CG) for transfer of funds. 4. Parep New York (CG) is required to kindly transfer an amount of $25,000/- from its FIGOB account to Parepun New York.”

According to a source this latest sanction of $25000 is just one extra spending on a bathroom, which is already in good condition. The source said that Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, is already living in the US and had an old house outside New York.

The source said that $225,000 coming in the name of renovation of official residence other than this $25000. Around $50,000 has already been spent from Mission’s account, the source said.

The source said that this is a wasteful expenditure particularly in view of the country’s worrisome economic situation. “This issue needs inquiry,” the source said, adding that the spending also violates Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policy of austerity and simplicity.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly spoken of promoting austerity and adopting simplicity. He has also been directing his cabinet members that austerity measures be implemented in letter and spirit.

The premier has also been explaining to the cabinet of all those initiatives that he personally took for austerity keeping in view the current economic challenges faced by the country. The government has also been claiming to have saved billions by cutting wasteful expenditure.

After the formation of PTI’s government, several steps were taken by the federal government including turning the Prime Minister House into a university and auctioning the cars and buffaloes of the PM House.

Prime Minister House’s luxurious rooms, halls and bathrooms were shown on TV shows to propagate how the public money was wasted in the past. But now on just one bathroom’s renovation $25,000 (Rs4.2 million) has been sanctioned by the PTI government.

In order to save public money, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had also barred the ministers from flying abroad for medical treatment.