Chief Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
LAHORE:
The Punjab government has decided to take legal action against those involved in a “malicious campaign” related to the use of an official aircraft by the provincial administration, Punjab Chief Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has warned, amid growing confusion over the government’s claims that the newly acquired luxury aircraft was undergoing routine maintenance.
In a post on
He said the provincial government had decided to initiate legal proceedings against “all individuals and platforms” involved under the Defamation Act 2024.
“Disinformation will no longer go unanswered,” he added. Aurangzeb warned that “those who think they can defame institutions and mislead the public without consequences should prepare to face the law.”
He further said that the government intended to “pursue recourse to the maximum penalty provided by law to ensure a clear and unambiguous message.”
The minister also maintained that fake news is not “real journalism” but defamation.
“Pathological lying lunatics will not be tolerated; enough is enough,” he stressed.
Following this, Azma Bukhari also took to social media and claimed that first false claims about Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s trips abroad had been spread and now fabricated stories about her family were being created.
“The same energy that is spent on spreading lies, if only it had been used for the welfare of the public, perhaps people would have believed them today.
You may continue to spread lies, but Maryam Nawaz will continue to introduce new initiatives for the welfare of the people and continue to win their hearts. “The old tactics of playing the victim, innocence or political victimization cards will no longer work,” he wrote.
Earlier on Saturday, Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari, speaking to The Express PAkGazette, vehemently denied rumors that the newly acquired official luxury plane was for her son’s personal use.
Addressing reports about the Punjab government’s plane currently in Vienna, after days of speculation over the presence of the CM’s plane on a foreign runway, Azma wrote that the plane had been sent to Vienna for technical inspection, adding that such inspections within a specific time period are part of contractual obligations.
The Gulfstream jet has remained at the center of controversy since reports about the multi-billion rupee luxury jet first appeared in the media, with critics questioning the government’s commitment to austerity at a time when the country remains trapped in a persistent debt cycle.
