LAHORE: Punjab officers are tight-lipped on reviews that declare the provincial authorities has acquired a Gulfstream plane for “VIP transport position”.
In the meantime, the alleged transfer continues to attract criticism.
On Monday, it was claimed by an X account, The Stratcom Bureau — which primarily shares defense- and security-related information — that the “authorities of Punjab, Pakistan has acquired a brand new, 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500 plane for his or her VIP transport position”.
In a separate post by the identical account, it was claimed that “the registration variety of the luxurious aircraft is N144S” and its “outdated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration can be modified to Pakistani registration quickly”.
The submit additionally mentioned that the approximate asking value for the plane was $38 million to $42 million.
In the meantime, the US FAA registry shows that the plane is at the moment owned by TVPX Plane Options Inc. Trustee, which, as per its web site, generally acts because the registered proprietor for plane trusts, facilitating the shopping for, promoting, and leasing of planes, significantly for non-US residents or for privateness causes.
In accordance with flight monitoring service Flight Radar, the plane has been flying between varied airports in Punjab since no less than February 12.
Daybreak reached out to a number of officers for a affirmation of the acquisition’s claims, however they remained tight-lipped on the matter.
Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Extra Chief Secretary Ahmad Raza Sarwar didn’t reply to calls and textual content messages to make clear the Punjab authorities’s place.
Punjab Extra Secretary (Welfare) Waseem Hamid, nevertheless, denied the claims of the plane’s buy earlier than abruptly disconnecting the decision.
Daybreak additionally tried to contact Punjab Data Minister Azma Bokhari, however she, too, didn’t reply to any calls or the question despatched to her as a textual content message.
Amid this silence by the officers, the reported buy of the plane continues to attract criticism, together with by former finance minister Miftah Ismail and ex-Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair.
Sharing the Stratcom Bureau’s submit on X, Miftah juxtaposed the reported buy of the plane with the current hike in petroleum costs by the federal government.
“So whereas Pakistanis are imagined to tighten our belts and sacrifice, Punjab’s entitled VIPs are fastening their seatbelts for taking off in luxurious personal jets,” he mentioned.
Equally, Zubair posted on X: “Such an exquisite aircraft price greater than 1,000 crore, which has been purchased by the Punjab authorities for using its CM and celebration’s elite.”
He questioned whether or not a nation dealing with financial difficulties, with 45 p.c of the individuals dwelling beneath the poverty line and amid document unemployment — afford this luxurious.
“The Punjab authorities might problem a denial if not true,” he mentioned concerning the claims of the plane’s buy.
