LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Lahore President Faisal Mir has demanded that the government disclose the details of the official account into which the alleged rent for the Chief Minister’s aircraft was deposited. He said that Maryam Nawaz should show the nation the name of the bank, the account title, the account number and the receipt for the amount deposited.
Party workers and leaders turned out in large numbers at a ceremony organised by PPP Lahore Vice President Amir Butt to mark the birthday of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. PPP Lahore General Secretary Dr Ayesha Shaukat, Organising Committee Convener Majeed Ghauri and senior party leader Shahida Jabeen also attended.
Speaking to the media and participants on the occasion, Faisal Mir sharply criticised the Punjab government’s policies. Mir said that if verifiable official records of the aircraft rental payment were not presented, it would be assumed that facts had been concealed from the nation. He said the PPP would approach the appropriate legal forum to establish the truth behind Maryam Nawaz’s statement and the alleged payment. He added that if the Chief Minister had misled the nation, action should also be taken against her in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
Stressing that the law is equal for everyone, he said that the same principle under which Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was disqualified should also apply to the ruling party.
Mir alleged that Maryam Nawaz was buying an aircraft worth Rs11 billion by collecting heavy taxes on petrol and electricity from the poor. He said her arrogant manner of speaking about an aircraft purchased with public money was condemnable. He asked Maryam Nawaz to explain through what personal and lawful source she had paid Rs17.5 million for the use of the aircraft, and demanded that she also make her income tax returns and the sources of the alleged payment public.
Speaking on inflation, Mir said the government wanted to shift the burden of price hikes onto the poor by imposing further taxes on petrol. He demanded that the Rs11 billion government aircraft be sold and the proceeds spent on providing relief to the poor people of Punjab on petrol and electricity. He said that, instead of taxing the poor on petrol and electricity, the government should impose taxes on its privileged, wealthy friends.
Criticising the policies of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he said that giving concessions to the rich and inflation to the poor in every budget was part of the party’s anti-people policy. He proposed an additional tax of at least Rs 50,000 on vehicles above 1500cc, so that the burden would fall on the wealthy rather than on the poor.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026