The sale of all eight buffaloes belonging to the PM house fetched a total of Rs2,302,000 in an auction held in Islamabad on Thursday.

Of the octet of buffaloes sold, one was purchased by a certain Qalb Ali — a resident of Jhangi Sayedan — who splashed Rs385,000 for the bovine.

Ali claimed that the animal's actual valuation was a mere Rs120,000 but said that he paid a premium on account of its sentimental value.

"I purchased this buffalo owing to my affection for Nawaz Sharif," he said. "I will keep it as a symbol of Nawaz Sharif and our sister, Maryam Nawaz."

The auction of buffaloes was part of Prime Minister Imran Khan's austerity drive through which he plans on cutting down his government's expenditures, which he believes will urge the nation to follow suit.

On September 17, a total of 61 luxury and surplus vehicles belonging to the PM house were also auctioned off, reportedly boosting the govt's coffers by some Rs200 million.