- Punjab will file cases under the Defamation Act, 2024.
- The Punjab government denies that the plane was acquired solely for CM’s use.
- Misinformation will no longer remain unanswered: Marriyum.
The Punjab government has decided to initiate legal proceedings against people and platforms spreading what it described as false claims about the use of the provincial government’s official aircraft, Chief Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday.
Speaking to
He said the provincial government had decided to go to court under the Defamation Act 2024 against all people and platforms involved in spreading the alleged misinformation.
“Disinformation will no longer go unanswered. Those who think they can defame institutions and mislead the public without consequences should prepare to face the law,” he said.
He further said that the Punjab government would seek the maximum penalty under the law to send a clear message that “fake news is not journalism but defamation”.
His comments came amid a political controversy surrounding the Punjab government’s acquisition of a Gulfstream airliner worth around Rs 10 billion.
The acquisition drew criticism from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which alleged that the aircraft was meant for the exclusive personal use of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
However, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari had earlier rejected the claims, saying that the provincial government was planning to develop a fleet under the proposed ‘Air Punjab’ initiative.
According to Bokhari, some aircraft would be purchased while others would be leased, with the Gulfstream aircraft being part of the broader plan.
Aviation sources said the Punjab government had acquired a Gulfstream G500 aircraft with US registration number N144S at an estimated cost of around Rs 10 billion. The news reported.
Flight tracking data shows that the seven-year-old plane arrived in Lahore on December 28 after traveling from Bangor in North America to the Egyptian city of Hurghada before landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
The plane remained parked at the Lahore airport for about 40 days, during which, according to sources, it underwent renovation and interior decoration.
The aircraft made its first domestic flight on February 6 from Lahore to Multan and has since operated several flights under the call sign “PUNJAB2” to destinations such as Quetta, Mianwali, Sialkot and Rawalpindi.
