LAHORE — Punjab government officials have declined to confirm or deny reports claiming the provincial administration has acquired a luxury Gulfstream G500 aircraft for VIP transport.

The claims surfaced on X through an account named The Stratcom Bureau, which reported that the Government of Punjab had acquired a 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500 for official use. The account further stated that the aircraft carries registration number N144S and that its existing U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration would soon be changed to Pakistani registration.

The aircraft’s reported price is approximately Rs1,100 crore, which translates to around $38 million to $42 million, depending on prevailing exchange rates. However, no official confirmation has been issued by the Punjab government regarding the reported acquisition.

According to the U.S. FAA registry, the aircraft is currently listed under TVPX Aircraft Solutions Inc. Trustee, a company that typically serves as the registered owner for aircraft trusts, facilitating ownership and leasing arrangements, particularly for non-U.S. citizens or for privacy purposes.

Flight tracking data indicates that the aircraft has been operating between various airports in Punjab since at least February 12.

Dawn contacted several provincial officials for confirmation. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Additional Chief Secretary Ahmad Raza Sarwar did not respond to calls or text messages. Punjab Additional Secretary (Welfare) Waseem Hamid denied the purchase claim before ending a phone call. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also did not respond to inquiries.

Amid the absence of official clarification, the reported purchase has drawn criticism from political figures.

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail questioned the reported acquisition in the context of recent petroleum price increases, suggesting a contrast between public economic pressures and alleged luxury spending.

Similarly, former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair raised concerns about whether such an expenditure would be appropriate given Pakistan’s economic challenges. He called for the Punjab government to issue a formal denial if the claims are inaccurate.

As of publication, no official statement has been released confirming the purchase of the aircraft.