Maryam Nawaz has ended weeks of speculation with a blunt answer of her own. The Punjab chief minister says the Rs9bn aircraft controversy will not change her travel habits — and she plans to keep flying it.
Speaking at a public ceremony, she pushed back hard against critics who accused her of misusing state resources for a private trip.
Maryam Nawaz Says She’ll Keep Flying Rs9bn Punjab Jet
“People are very troubled by the Rs9 billion aircraft. I want to tell them that I will travel on this aircraft again and again,” Maryam Nawaz said, addressing the ceremony directly.
She argued the jet doesn’t belong to her personally — it’s attached to the office of the Punjab chief minister, not to any individual. Travelling abroad “on a motorcycle,” she said, was never a serious option for someone running the province.
Timeline: How the Rs9 Billion Aircraft Row Unfolded
The controversy traces back to a family trip that quickly turned political. Here’s how it played out:
- Sept 5–9: Maryam Nawaz travels to London on the Punjab government’s Gulfstream G500 to attend daughter Mahnoor Safdar’s graduation from SOAS University.
- Sept 11–12: Information Minister Azma Bukhari insists the CM will personally cover all costs; PPP’s Nadeem Afzal Chan and PTI leaders demand documentary proof.
- Sept 13: PTI MPA Waqas Mahmood Maan files an adjournment motion in the Punjab Assembly over an estimated Rs12.5 million in flight-related costs.
- Sept 17: The Punjab government confirms Rs27,194,004 was deposited into its treasury account, settling the bill.
Inside the Gulfstream G500 Controversy
The aircraft at the centre of this row is no ordinary plane. It’s a 2019-built Gulfstream G500, reportedly valued between $38 million and $42 million — north of Rs10 billion at current exchange rates.
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Officials had defended its acquisition earlier by saying Punjab’s previous CM aircraft was ageing and needed a safer replacement. Critics, however, see the jet’s price tag as symbolic of a wider provincial spending debate.
Rs27.19 Million Repaid — How the Numbers Add Up
The payment settling the London trip’s cost was formally processed through official channels, not just announced on social media.
| Detail | Amount / Info |
|---|---|
| Total repaid | Rs27,194,004 |
| Billed by | Jetstream International & Pakistan State Oil |
| Deposited via | Bank of Punjab cheque |
| Depositor named | Umar Abbas |
| Bank | National Bank of Pakistan, Valencia Branch, Lahore |
PML-N leader Hina Parvez Butt confirmed the cheque had been submitted and was expected to be cashed the following day, closing out the disputed expense.
Opposition Parties Demand Accountability
Rival parties weren’t satisfied with a repayment alone — they wanted the process itself scrutinised.
- PTI’s Moonis Elahi linked the jet controversy to Pakistan’s rising fuel costs, calling the spending tone-deaf.
- PPP’s Nadeem Afzal Chan argued chief ministers shouldn’t use provincial aircraft for personal overseas travel at all.
- The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly separately passed a resolution criticising Maryam Nawaz’s related remarks on provincial security threats.
“Accountable to People, Not YouTubers” — Maryam’s Defence
Maryam Nawaz didn’t stop at defending the jet’s ownership status. At a separate event inaugurating an electric bus service in Multan, she turned her frustration toward online critics directly.
“I am accountable to the people, not to any YouTuber,” she said, adding she could have travelled by “Qingqi rickshaw” if the aircraft had become such a flashpoint.
She noted all four provincial chief ministers have access to government aircraft, questioning why scrutiny had singled her out.
What the Rs9bn Aircraft Row Means for Punjab
This episode has become less about one flight and more about a bigger accountability question. Punjab’s government insists due process — billing, treasury deposit, public confirmation — was followed properly.
Opposition lawmakers counter that verbal assurances aren’t enough, and that legislative oversight, not press statements, should verify how public assets get used for private family occasions.
Wednesday’s repayment closes the file or fuels the next assembly session remains to be seen.
