Punjab treasury faces opposition backlash over ‘luxury’ jet purchase

WEB DESK: A sitting of the Punjab Assembly was marked by heated exchanges between treasury and opposition benches over the provincial government’s purchase of a new aircraft, the detention of opposition lawmakers, and a raft of legislative measures introduced in the House.

According to Dawn, the controversy surrounding the Rs11 billion aircraft dominated proceedings after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Shazia Abid questioned whether the plane would be used for official visits to south Punjab or reserved for limited purposes.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari defended the acquisition, arguing that just as PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari utilises the Sindh government’s aircraft, the Punjab government is equally entitled to use its own plane as it sees fit.

Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi pressed the government to clarify which budgetary allocation had funded the purchase and whether the jet was intended for a proposed “Air Punjab” initiative or solely for the chief minister’s use. He described the procurement of a “luxury” aircraft as ill-judged at a time when the country is grappling with economic hardship, prompting desk-thumping and slogans from opposition members.

Government Chief Whip Rana Arshad countered by questioning why the opposition objected when chief ministers in other provinces also travel on official aircraft.

Tensions further escalated over the alleged arrest of nine opposition MPAs without the speaker’s consent. Opposition lawmakers claimed the detentions breached parliamentary conventions. MPA Sardar Sarfraz Dogar alleged he had been unlawfully held for three days and subsequently booked in a “false FIR”, terming the action contempt of the assembly and insisting that no member could be arrested without prior approval from the speaker.

Treasury members dismissed the criticism, accusing the opposition of double standards and citing past arrests of political figures, including Maryam Nawaz and her father.

Legislative reforms and law and order debate

Earlier in the session, Minister Azma Bukhari responded to queries concerning the Information and Public Relations Department. She announced plans to acquire a purpose-built facility equipped with modern amenities to house all departmental offices under one roof.

Addressing concerns regarding the Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation (PJHF), she confirmed that its office would be relocated from rented premises to a commercial property within Press Club Society.

On administrative reforms, the minister acknowledged that previous recruitment in her department had not always been merit-based and unveiled plans for a comprehensive restructuring drive this year. She stated that only essential posts would be retained, surplus positions abolished, and staff subjected to performance evaluations.

A general debate on law and order was initiated by Parliamentary Secretary Khalid Mahmood Ranjha, who asserted that crime had declined across Punjab. He pointed to a reported decrease in rape cases, the recovery of illegal weapons and ongoing operations against gangs in the Katcha areas. Opposition members disputed these claims, alleging political victimisation and suppression.

The House also introduced several legislative measures, all of which were referred to relevant committees for a two-month review.

These included the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026; the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property (Amendment) Ordinance 2026; the Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance 2026; the Punjab Public Utilities Infrastructure Protection Ordinance 2026; the Punjab Waqf, Trust and Cooperative Societies (Monitoring) Bill 2026; the Punjab Sales Tax on Services (Amendment) Bill 2026; and the Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess (Amendment) Bill 2026.

In addition, the government tabled amendments to the Punjab Employees Social Security Ordinance 1965 to bring it into line with the revised minimum wage of Rs40,000. The draft legislation noted that while the minimum wage had been increased, the statutory salary ceiling of Rs22,000 remained unchanged, creating legal and administrative difficulties.

The proposed amendments would validate social security contributions made since July 2022 and avert an estimated Rs24 billion loss to the provincial exchequer. Following committee scrutiny and approval by the governor, the legislation will be enacted as the Punjab Provincial Employees Social Security (Amendment) Act 2026.