Official documents show that the Punjab government has passed the running and upkeep of its Gulfstream G500 jet to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The provincial cabinet approved the arrangement, which was put in place after the provincial government’s VIP Flight Wing said it lacked the technical capacity to manage the aircraft on its own.
The transfer comes at a time when the use of the jet has drawn criticism. The Punjab government declined to comment on the handover when asked about it.
PAF takes over maintenance and pilot support for the aircraft
Before handing over responsibility, the VIP Flight Wing consulted the air force about the technical requirements of operating the jet. The two sides then signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering maintenance, technical matters and financial responsibilities. According to the documents, the PAF has the technical expertise and infrastructure needed to maintain the Gulfstream business jet.
Under the MoU, the air force will provide technical and maintenance support. Three serving PAF pilots have been deputed to the Punjab government to fly the aircraft, and they are flying alongside pilots employed by the provincial government, the documents added. The jet has also been deregistered with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), and the PAF has given it a new tail number.
Maryam Nawaz defends her use of the aircraft
The handover follows criticism of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for using the provincial government’s aircraft on a private family trip to London. She travelled to attend her daughter Mahnoor Safdar’s graduation ceremony and returned to Lahore on September 9.
Speaking at the inauguration of electric buses in Multan last month, Maryam said she had personally paid Rs27.5 million toward parking and other costs linked to the trip. She insisted that the money had not come from the public exchequer. She showed footage of the paid bill on her mobile phone but said she was not obliged to give documents to YouTubers or her critics, adding that the relevant record would be submitted before the appropriate forum.
Opposition politicians and commentators questioned whether a government-owned aircraft should be used for personal travel. The issue was also raised in the Punjab Assembly, where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Waqas Mahmood Maan submitted an adjournment motion. He sought a debate on the reported expenditure and on the legal and administrative authority behind the aircraft’s use. Earlier, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had maintained that Maryam would bear the costs of the London visit.
Responding to the criticism, the chief minister said all four provincial chief ministers have government aircraft and asked why she was being singled out. She said the jet belongs to the Punjab government, not to her personally, and that she would keep using it for official travel.
Questions over the cost and financing of the jet
The use of the aircraft has also renewed attention on how it was acquired, a purchase that has faced criticism during Pakistan’s economic difficulties. The 19-seat Gulfstream G500 was manufactured in 2019 and has been reported to be worth between $38 million and $42 million, or more than Rs10 billion.
Opposition figures and critics have questioned spending on an expensive business jet while many people continue to struggle financially. They have also asked for transparency on how the jet was financed, including whether it was bought outright or leased.
Azma Bukhari previously said the jet was part of a fleet being developed for the proposed provincial airline, Air Punjab, which was preparing to start commercial flights in April. Critics have questioned whether a luxury business jet suits commercial airline operations, arguing that its purchase mainly serves VIP transport. Supporters of the purchase argue that owning a modern aircraft would reduce the province’s reliance on federal resources for official travel.
