The Government of Punjab has decided to purchase 108 new vehicles for provincial ministers and senior bureaucrats at an estimated cost of Rs1.14 billion, according to official sources.
The development comes amid ongoing criticism of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif over the provincial government’s reported purchase of a luxury aircraft.
Sources within the Services & General Administration Department (S&GAD) said that the transport wing has submitted recommendations to the provincial cabinet for approval. The proposal includes 28 vehicles for provincial ministers, costing approximately Rs30 crore.
The proposed fleet comprises one Land Cruiser, two Haval H6 1.5T vehicles, five Toyota Altis Grande, ten Toyota Altis, and ten Toyota Yaris cars.
In addition, two provincial ministers are expected to receive bulletproof 4×4 vehicles worth Rs4 crore. Officials confirmed that the procurement of bulletproof vehicles has already been approved.
For VIP security arrangements, authorities have also approved recommendations to purchase 25 additional vehicles worth Rs27 crore. The procurement process is likely to begin once final approvals are granted.
Earlier, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, criticised the provincial government’s spending priorities. He alleged that despite a reported 31 percent increase in poverty in Punjab, large sums of public funds are being allocated to luxury purchases.
Addressing a gathering, he claimed that instead of focusing on development and public welfare, taxpayer money is being spent on advertisements. He further stated that nearly 10 million children in the province remain out of school, questioning the government’s priorities.
The matter has sparked debate over fiscal management and public spending in Punjab, particularly at a time when economic challenges and inflation continue to impact citizens across the province.
