The Punjab Chief Minister’s Office is refusing to disclose how much public money is being spent on Maryam Nawaz’s official tours and a newly acquired luxury jet.
Despite multiple Right to Information (RTI) requests, officials have shuttered the windows on transparency, citing vague security protocols to keep the ledger private. Activists and citizens filed these requests to track the costs of the CM’s frequent provincial trips and the fleet of vehicles at her disposal.
Instead of numbers, they got a wall. The CM’s office claims these details are “classified,” a move that critics say directly violates the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. The most contentious point isn’t just the travel it’s the plane.
The provincial government recently added a luxury jet to its hangar, a move that didn’t sit well with a public told to tighten its belt.
When asked for the purchase price, maintenance costs, and flight logs, the government simply said no. It’s a clear contradiction of the administration’s public stance. While the CM’s team frequently highlights “austerity measures” and “cutting unnecessary expenses,” the refusal to show the receipts suggests a different story behind the scenes.
The Punjab Information Commission now faces a choice: enforce the law or let the CM’s office set a precedent where public spending is treated as a private matter.
Under the RTI law, public offices are legally bound to provide information on taxpayer spending unless it poses a genuine threat to national security. The CM’s office hasn’t explained how a fuel bill for a provincial tour or the interior specs of a jet meets that threshold.
The refusal comes at a time when the Punjab government is already under fire for its massive advertising budget and luxury procurement. If the government won’t tell the public how their money is being spent on the CM’s transport, it raises a simple question: what exactly are they trying to hide.
