In a historic first, President House opened to public
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ISLAMABAD: For the first time in the country’s history, President House on Saturday opened its doors to the public as part of the government’s plans to allow the people to access state-owned buildings.
Earlier, the government had opened Governor Houses in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and a state-owned rest house in Murree to the public.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the visitors at President House, Mr Alvi said: “We have made efforts to fully facilitate public visits to Aiwan-i-Sadr.”
He said he would open President House to the public twice a month and would also direct the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to open the adjacent park to President House.
The president said that historical documents and belongings of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan would be displayed at President House.
“We will request parliament to give the historical document of the 1973 Constitution signed by its makers and it will be displayed here for the public,” he said.
The president said that he wanted to bridge the gap between President House and the masses which had widened in the last 70 years.
He said that President House was opened to school and college trips as well.
Replying to a question, Mr Alvi rejected the impression that Aiwan-i-Sadr was opened to divert attention from the challenges being faced by the government, saying that the office of the president was apolitical.
Earlier, a large number of people from twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad visited the highly secured building of Aiwan-i-Sadr.
Talking to Dawn, the visitors appreciated the decision of the government to open the gates of President House to the public. It remained open from 9am to 4pm.
Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2018
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Dec 09, 2018 08:56am
People must think what sort of individuals have lived on this prestigious institution
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Dec 09, 2018 09:07am
Open for what? You said to make them universities!
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Dec 09, 2018 09:41am
Tabdeeli is here. Imran Khan zindabad
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Dec 09, 2018 09:52am
Security ?
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Dec 09, 2018 09:54am
I don’t understand the logic behind this. How is the gap being bridged? When people problems are resolved on time that is what I call bridging the gap rest is all show off. Presidency expenses are still the same as in the previous governments.
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Dec 09, 2018 09:56am
Very good to open president house. Gov must charge RS 500 from visitors to recover the cost of building President house and later sell president house property for some other use. So money can be used for dam projects.
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Dec 09, 2018 09:59am
Great job!
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Dec 09, 2018 10:05am
Good step indicative of democracy taking roots
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Dec 09, 2018 10:15am
Is there any benefit of opening this lavish residence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and what benefit is envisaged to be acquired by this public opening of this magnificent building? I don't think PTI will gain or increase its popularity by these kinds of childish acts.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:15am
Good decision.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:18am
might as well sell these nice properties.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:28am
Its a very good decision of PTI's government they created a history for the people of pakistan.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:36am
Dr Alvi should not live here. Should follow the foot steps of PM khan
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Dec 09, 2018 10:42am
Any plans still to turn these buildings to universities?
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Dec 09, 2018 11:01am
A step that gives off good vibes. Congratulations to people of Pakistan.
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Dec 09, 2018 11:19am
Thumbs up for the PTI government for its efforts to Pakistan into the 21st century
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Dec 09, 2018 11:51am
What about turning them into colleges and universities?
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Dec 09, 2018 11:58am
Now you can find poetry and phone numbers on the walls of president and governor houses. How much will be the bill for post visit maintenance of these buildings?
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Dec 09, 2018 12:47pm
This governement has done something all other governments failed to do: bring the government and people closer.
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Dec 09, 2018 12:50pm
I am not sure how these efforts are helping?
I'd say, please focus on development and education!
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Dec 09, 2018 03:21pm
great move, the attitude of the new government is refreshing and long overdue. School children in particular should be brought here. Indeed it is a Naya Pakistan attitude.
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Dec 09, 2018 03:23pm
@Omer, the opening to public generates income like a museum.
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Dec 09, 2018 03:54pm
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani, when was the president house going to be made into a university? Even in england the public can visit buckingham palace, or any of the palaces where royal families live. Lets not distort things that are positive steps towards reform
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Dec 09, 2018 04:20pm
Some of you will never appreciate anything different or try for a change. Do you want to stick to what previous governments have been doing? Well if that is the case then please don't criticise Pakistan anymore just accept things they are and will remain as they were under PPP and PML.
Please understand things might or might work under PTI, but what is crucial is to try something different and to see if it works. It might make things worse, but at least your intentions were there to change Pakistan.
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Dec 09, 2018 04:47pm
Great move. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Dec 09, 2018 05:01pm
President house expenses during Nawaz Sharif were Rs1.2 billion annually.. Under PTI there still Rs1.2 billion... Rest are all gimmicks to fool the public
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Dec 09, 2018 05:59pm
Open for just some days this is not a public place where people will wandering any time. When some presidential guest will come or else reason it will be closed for public. Till then forget everything and enjoy
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Dec 09, 2018 06:11pm
Auction all the lavish furniture and decorations at President and PM's house to raise money for government funds.
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Dec 09, 2018 06:54pm
It will show people how past rulers lived. This is a good step that should have been taken years ago. But past rulers just didn't care about the people.
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Dec 09, 2018 07:43pm
In early 20th century the US president opened the White House to public after inauguration day. People poured inside and wanted to meet the president. The president was so overwhelmed that he had to escape from an outside window.
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Dec 09, 2018 08:57pm
Please keep it clean
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Dec 09, 2018 09:53pm
This gave public more encouragement
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Dec 09, 2018 10:04pm
@Buddha,
So you're complaining that the public doesn't have enough access, and at the same time you're complaining that the public has too much access. Congratulations, you represent PTI's political opposition beautifully.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:22pm
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani, if you've ever attended, or visited a university for that matter, you wouldn't ask this question!
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Dec 09, 2018 10:31pm
excellent initiative, please cont with your good and sincere wok
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Dec 09, 2018 10:32pm
Imran khan is a true leader of Pakistan.
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Dec 09, 2018 10:37pm
It just needs to be more organized so that people do not damage these public buildings. But overall, a good move.
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Dec 10, 2018 02:02am
Marvelous!
Knowledge and information are the primary steps of a ladder. When the people are informed and become knowledgeable about the expenditures of National Income and its distribution, they are in a better position to set strategies and priorities to the most important needs of the ordinary. It is not a necessity of a nation like Pakistan, to allocate a lion share of 'National Income' on such luxurious residences of PM, Chief Ministers and other elite. In Pakistan, the demand and necessity for expenditures is somewhere else like upscale levels of the whole society in education, health, employment, security, clean air and water etc. Proportionately distributed and invested wealth alleviates the nations which is on the priority list of PTI. We are lucky now.
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Dec 10, 2018 02:55am
@Jalbani Baloch, Unfortunately, your thinking is childish and/or you are ignorant of economic indicators.
This is one of the many steps of PTI to educate public on many social-economic issues of Pakistan on which our progress has been very slow in the past. When people acquire knowledge of the things happening around, they get empowered. Knowledge is power. When people become powerful they can contribute to progress. Why should a PM or a Province Minister live in a luxurious house at the expense of poor who deserve good health system, education, employment, clean water and air and much more?
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Dec 10, 2018 04:03am
It is such a wonderful initiative bound to lead to the programs of social uplift based on awareness, transparency and investment of funds in slots where desperately needed.
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Dec 10, 2018 07:11pm
Well done.
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Dec 10, 2018 08:19pm
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani, What kind of a university can be opened within 100 days? Please be patient. You got to keep something for implementing in next 5 years. Also, kindly keep the decision of Punjab High Court in mind.
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Dec 10, 2018 08:30pm
Allow access to these historic building in a selective and controlled manner. If this privilege is abused by the public, stop. These are govt properties and must be looked after.
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Dec 11, 2018 12:03am
@Syed , My father a Ph.D worked in Islamabad and could not afford to rent a house in any of the upscale sectors of the city but our president lives in a building that is comparable to Mughal king's lifestyle. This naked hypocrisy, the gap even between rich and "somewhat well to do is pervasive has widened by the years and accepted and became the norm. Running budget of Rs 1.2 billion (that is what, $8 .00 million/year) is simply shameful. Wonder how educated working middle class survives? And how this government would turn this useless piece of showcase into a university that was designed as a residential building?
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Dec 11, 2018 12:05am
@Jalbani Baloch, the presidents name is ALVI not IK, and it is NOT the PM's house.
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Dec 11, 2018 12:10am
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani,
this is President's house, NOT PMs which IK wants to be a university.
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Dec 11, 2018 01:33am
@Domi, What is your source of information that president house expenses are the same ?
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Dec 11, 2018 01:35am
@Jalbani Baloch, Don't you want to see how your tax and borrowed Rs are being spent by the previous Govt.
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Dec 11, 2018 02:34am
@Syed , and you know that for a fact or just baloney?
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Dec 11, 2018 07:36am
@Danish, Rs 100 per family will be enough.
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