Punjab Assembly committee seeks details of Lahore Gymkhana lease and rent

A special committee of the Punjab Assembly has sought detailed records from the Board of Revenue regarding the lease terms and rent of Lahore

A special committee of the Punjab Assembly has sought detailed records from the Board of Revenue regarding the lease terms and rent of Lahore Gymkhana amid questions over the unusually low amount being charged for the prestigious club’s premises.

The issue came under discussion during a meeting of Special Committee No. 6, chaired by Samiullah Khan. During the proceedings, it also emerged that Lahore Gymkhana had not undergone a commercial audit by the Auditor General of Pakistan.

The secretary of the Board of Revenue informed the committee that the lease of Lahore Gymkhana was granted in 1996 on the instructions of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

Committee chairman Samiullah Khan asked whether the chief minister’s instructions had specifically mentioned fixing the rent at Rs5,000. In response, the secretary clarified that the amount was not mentioned in the original instructions but appeared in a letter sent by the commissioner to the Board of Revenue.

The committee chairman remarked that he had received information suggesting that the elite considered a monthly rent of Rs5,000 reasonable. His comments raised further questions about the basis on which the rent had been determined and whether the arrangement adequately served the public interest.

Committee member Amjad Ali Javed said Lahore Gymkhana should either pay Rs52 billion in rent, as he demanded, or refrain from seeking Rs65,000 in rent from shopkeepers. His remarks highlighted what he described as a disparity between the rent charged to the club and the amounts demanded from smaller commercial tenants.

Another committee member, Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar, said the issue was not about having a dispute with Lahore Gymkhana. Instead, he stressed that the government should explain how the lease had been granted and whether the process complied with the relevant rules.

During the meeting, Ali Haider Gillani asked about the club’s audit arrangements. The director general of audit informed the committee that Lahore Gymkhana was not allowing his department to conduct an audit and had taken the matter to the high court.

He further said the Auditor General had filed a separate petition in the Supreme Court, which had not yet been scheduled for a hearing. The official also pointed out that Islamabad Club was subject to an audit.

Committee members Rao Kashif Rahim and Zulfiqar Shah raised questions about construction work carried out at the premises. They sought clarification on whether the relevant departments had granted the necessary approvals before construction began and whether the prescribed construction fees had been paid.

Parliamentary Secretary Khalid Ranjha argued that if the government intended to end the existing arrangement, it should consider reclaiming the property instead of continuing the tenancy.

Rao Kashif also proposed suspending the Lahore Gymkhana committee and appointing an administrator to assess the seriousness of the matter and oversee its affairs.

Concluding the discussion, Samiullah Khan said the committee had heard all the questions raised by its members and expected the relevant departments to provide complete answers. He warned that failure to furnish satisfactory responses could result in the matter being referred to the Assembly’s Privileges Committee.

The chairman said the committee also wanted to hear Lahore Gymkhana’s position. However, he added that even if its representatives did not attend, the relevant government departments would still be required to explain the lease, rent and audit arrangements.

The committee’s proceedings have brought renewed attention to the terms under which Lahore Gymkhana occupies its premises, the legal basis of its lease and the need for transparency in the management of public land.