Shehbaz suspends declaring Sharif's Jati Umra residence as camp office

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday suspended implementation of the order to declare Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-) president Nawaz Sharif’s Jati Umra residence as the ‘CM Punjab Camp Office’.

According to sources, the chief minister has summoned the relevant officials who will decide whether to declare the entire estate as camp office or a portion of the residence.

Earlier today, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a summary declaring ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s Jati Umra residence as Chief Minister camp office.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry denounced the notification issued by Chief Minister Punjab office declaring ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Jati Umra residence as CM Punjab camp office.

In a statement, the PTI spokesperson vowed to raise the issue in the National Assembly, as what he said, his party has serious reservations on the matter. “The taxpayers’ money is being spent on a family facing high-profile corruption charges,” he underscored.

It merits highlighting here that Sharif family’s another residence 180-H Model Town was declared as CM camp office back in 2011, but the residential status was nullified on a written complaint filed by PTI NA-120 candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid in August this year after accusing Maryam Nawaz and ruling party’s ministers of using the building for by-election campaigning in the NA-120 constituency.

“The Competent Authority has desired that 180-H Model Town Lahore may please be de-notified as ‘Chief Minister’s Camp Office’ with immediate effect,”a notification was  then issued by the CM office read, having signatures of Special Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab Syed Waseem Raza Jaffery.