Islamabad- Auction of luxury cars gets underway in Pakistan’s PM House

To give an incentive to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s austerity drive, Pakistan’s federal government on Monday (September 17) started off an auction of 102 vehicles, including bulletproof cars,that had been in the use of previous Premiers of the country. The cars that are up for auction include four recent models of Mercedes, eight bulletproof BMWs, three 5000CC SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs of 2016. There were also 24 Mercedes Benz of 2016 model , two of which are 4,000cc bullet-proof vehicles. 40 Toyota cars which include a 2004 Lexus, a 2006 Lexus SUV, and two 2004 model Land Cruisers are also up for sale. “The quality of the cars are really good. They are very well maintained cars because they were in the use of the Prime Minister. But I would say that the prices are a bit higher than the market prices, like 30/ 40 lacs of differences in the prevailing market prices and the prices that these people are quoting. They are also charging 10% advance tax. They are levying tax on 10 year old cars also, probably because they were in the use of the Prime Minister , they were exempted from taxes. But now, since they are going to the public, the public will have to pay them now,” said Ali Musa Zaid, a banker who had come to take part in the auction. “Overall, I think it is good that they buy it from the auction because the money is going to the government of Pakistan. So it’s a sort of giving donation to the country. So even if we pay 30 or 40 lacs extra, its worth it. It will improve our economy,” Zaidi said. He said the auction was being carried out in a very transparent manner. Imran Khan, in his first address to the nation as Prime Minister of the country, had announced the auction of surplus PM House vehicles as part of the cost-cutting initiative of his government. Zaidi praised the initiative. “This step of the PTI government to put an end to the luxury life style in the country and to give the common man an incentive is a very good step. This is the first time in 70 years that a government is reducing luxuries in the country,” he said. Speaking to reporters a few hours after the auction commenced, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the first batch of 70 vehicles had been sold “above their market price."