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Prime Minister House, Pakistan
| Prime Minister House | |
|---|---|
 | |
| |
| General information | |
| Location | Constitution Avenue, Red Zone, Islamabad-44010, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 33°43′32″N 73°05′53″E / 33.7256°N 73.0981°ECoordinates: 33°43′32″N 73°05′53″E / 33.7256°N 73.0981°E |
| Construction started | 1968 |
| Renovated | 2017 |
| Owner | Government of Pakistan |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 137.5 acres (55.6 ha)[1] |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 100+ |
| Website | |
| pmo | |
The Prime Minister House [n 1] is a palace situated in Islamabad, Pakistan, serving as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This prominent building not only functions as a living space for the prime minister but also hosts official meetings and events. The architecture reflects a blend of modern and traditional styles, symbolising the political significance of the office it represents.
History[edit]
The Prime Minister House was constructed during the tenure of President Muhammad Ayub Khan. In the 1990s, under the second term of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, controversially initiated the development of a polo complex on 11.5 acres of protected woodland adjacent to the property. This project featured a polo field, an exercise track, stables for 40 horses, accommodations for grooms, and parking facilities for spectators. When senior official Mohammed Mehdi objected to reallocating $1.3 million from public amenity budgets to finance the project, Zardari reportedly dismissed his concerns and subsequently had Mehdi removed from his position, as detailed in an affidavit he submitted to investigators.
From 1968 until 2018, the Prime Minister House also functioned as the Secretariat of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In December 2018, a proposal emerged to transform the residence into a research university. The first phase involves establishing the Institute of Advanced Studies, which would focus on research without offering degree programs to students initially, although it may provide doctoral opportunities to foster research in the future.