Opposition files Punjab Assembly motion on CM Maryam Nawaz's London trip costs
An adjournment motion in the Punjab Assembly seeks details of the costs of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's September London visit. It questions the use of the government aircraft and a payment of Rs27,194,004 deposited for the trip.
- Opposition MPA Waqas Mahmood submitted an adjournment motion on the CM's September London trip.
- A payment of Rs27,194,004 was deposited in the Punjab treasury through a Bank of Punjab cheque.
- The government says the CM paid personally; the opposition questions approvals and the source of funds.
An adjournment motion has been submitted in the Punjab Assembly asking for details of the expenses of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's London visit in September 2026. Express News reported that opposition member Waqas Mahmood submitted it.
The motion demands that details of the government aircraft's use and the travel costs be presented in the House. It also asks for a detailed explanation of the flight, its costs and the administrative approvals involved, according to Daily Pakistan.
According to the motion, Rs27,194,004 was deposited on 17 September 2026 for the travel expenses. The deposit was made through a Bank of Punjab cheque in the name of Umar Abbas, at the National Bank of Pakistan Valencia Branch in Lahore, into the Punjab government treasury account. Daily Pakistan reported that the account title on the slip was ZGBMRA. Express News said details of the account used and its holder were not provided.
Daily Pakistan reported that the payment was linked to aviation fuel, aircraft parking and operational charges for the London trip. It said the final bill was reduced from earlier estimates of about Rs2.93 crore to Rs2.72 crore.
Maryam Nawaz travelled to London in early September to attend her daughter Mahnoor Safdar's graduation and returned to Lahore on September 9, Daily Pakistan reported. The provincial government acknowledged that she used the official aircraft, a Gulfstream G500 reportedly valued between Rs9 billion and Rs11 billion, but said she would bear the expenses personally.
Maryam Nawaz said at a public event in Multan that she paid about Rs27.5 million for the journey herself. Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the visit was financed through her personal funds.
The opposition questions whether that is enough. The motion asks whether the chief minister can afford the trip given her declared income. Opposition member Maan demanded the legal and administrative grounds for authorising the aircraft, the budget used and the officials who approved the flight. Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry and others raised concerns about incomplete information in copies of the payment documents shared publicly.
The motion also refers to the aircraft's two foreign pilots, whose combined monthly salaries are about $70,000, according to media investigations cited by Daily Pakistan. It seeks an urgent debate on the use of public resources, financial discipline and protection of the treasury.
Why it matters
The motion concerns the use of a provincial government aircraft and public funds, which affects Punjab taxpayers. The aircraft is reportedly valued between Rs9 billion and Rs11 billion, and its two pilots' combined pay is reported at about $70,000 a month. Readers want to know whether public aircraft and funds were used for a chief minister's private travel.
