ISLAMABAD, April 7: After taking over the PML House in Karachi, the PML-N has decided to regain control of the PML House on the Margalla road here from the PML-Q by legal means and to claim rent for the period it remained under `occupation’ of the PML-Q, party sources told Dawn.

The house was purchased by the PML-N for about Rs30 million and registered in the name of the party.

It was virtually abandoned by leaders and workers of the PML-Q after the party’s defeat in the Feb 18 elections.

The PML-Q, however, has deployed private security guards to protect it.

The four-storeyed house has 35 rooms and three big halls. It was taken over by the PML-Q without any resistance after some PML-N leaders formed the PML-Q in 2001.

PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq confirmed to Dawn that the party wanted to take the PML House back by legal means because it was its legal owner.

He said the party had filed a complaint about its illegal occupation.

“We have worked out Rs45 million as the rent of the house for the over seven years it remained under occupation and we do not want to recapture it by force, as was done by our rivals, because in that case we will be deprived of this amount,” the PML-N leader said.

Another PML-N leader, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, said: “We are looking into the matter from all legal aspects and will soon move an application in the court to regain the PML house as it is illegally under occupation of the rival league faction.”