Written by… Barrister Sara Ali Syed
While citizens are lectured about austerity, belt-tightening, and sacrifice, a 2019 Gulfstream GVII-G500 — a luxury corporate jet — is quietly inducted into Punjab’s VIP fleet.
The price tag is hardly modest: $38–42 million, over Rs11 billion.
The issue is not merely that an aircraft was acquired. The issue is that it was acquired silently.
No formal announcement. No transparent approval record. No financing details. Public confirmation surfaced only through a government job advertisement seeking a G-500 type-rated pilot; meaning the aircraft appeared first, and the public learned later.
More tellingly, the jet reportedly operated under the call sign “Punjab 2,” conventionally used when the Chief Minister is on board. Flight tracking data indicates that since 12 February, the aircraft has been flying between Punjab airports, including a recent Rawalpindi–Lahore sector. Yet the official explanation at a press conference claimed the aircraft was procured for a proposed Air Punjab.
Is this how airlines are launched around the world?
VIP flights first….. explanations later?
At a time when 45% of the population lives below the poverty line, unemployment is at record levels, and fuel prices are rising; how does a multi-billion-rupee luxury jet suddenly qualify as a development initiative?
Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail highlighted the contradiction: on one hand, citizens are asked to endure fuel price hikes and economic hardship; on the other, Punjab’s elite fasten their seatbelts for takeoff in a luxury Gulfstream.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari ridiculously stated that multiple aircraft are being acquired or leased as part of an upcoming Air Punjab fleet, and that this jet is merely one link in that chain.
If so, legitimate questions arise:
▪︎ Where is the airline’s registration?
▪︎ Where is its license?
▪︎ Where is its operational office?
▪︎ Who is the CEO?
▪︎ Who sits on the Board of Directors?
▪︎ And in what jurisdiction does a 19-seat corporate jet form the foundation of a commercial airline?
The problem is not pilot competence. It is not aircraft safety.
The problem is priorities and transparency.
Is this the same government that claims simplicity and public service as its creed?
If the aircraft was truly purchased for Air Punjab, then full disclosure is owed to the public:
▪︎ Who approved the acquisition?
▪︎ What is the financing model?
▪︎ What is the operational plan?
▪︎ How does this serve the public interest?
Absent clarity, citizens will reasonably conclude that austerity is for the people; and luxury is for the powerful.
Seven Questions That Demand Answers
1. Has Air Punjab been formally registered with the SECP?
2. Has a commercial airline license been obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority?
3. Where is Air Punjab’s registered office, and who are its CEO and Board of Directors?
4. If the jet was acquired for Air Punjab, why did the government remain silent while it was flying since 12 February?
5. Who has traveled aboard this aircraft to date? Has it been used for the Chief Minister’s personal or VIP transport?
6. If an official aircraft was already available for the Chief Minister, why was an additional luxury jet procured?
7. Will the government publicly disclose the approval process, funding source, and payment structure for this acquisition?
Are citizens expected to starve while rulers fasten their seatbelts for takeoff?
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