The Government of Punjab State has come under scrutiny following the acquisition of a 2019-built ultra-long-range Gulfstream Aerospace business jet, a GVII-G500.
According to local newspaper The Express Tribune, Punjab information and culture minister Azma Bukhari said the 15-seat VIP-configured aircraft forms part of the fleet of Air Punjab, a regional start-up carrier scheduled to launch operations in April. She denied that the jet was acquired for personal or VIP transport.
The aircraft, registered in the United States as N144S (msn 72022), departed Sioux Falls for Lahore International on December 26, arriving two days later following stops at Bangor International and Hurghada. Since February 6, the jet has operated out of Lahore International, occasionally using the callsign 'PUNJAB2' when chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is onboard.
Previously, this GVII-G500 was operated privately out of Memphis International until September 1. It was subsequently listed for sale by aircraft transaction specialist Avpro and sold on November 14.
ch-aviation research indicates that although the aircraft's radio station licence is held by the United States-based aircraft trust TVPX Ars Inc Trustee, correspondence is addressed to an avionics engineer at VIP Flight, the Punjab government's VIP transport division. In November 2025, the same unit advertised for a pilot type-rated on the GVII-G500 or the Hawker 400XP.
VIP Flight further operates a 2004-built, eight-seat Hawker 400XP registered in Pakistan as AP-BHQ (msn RK-392) on behalf of the provincial government. The jet has been parked at Lahore International since January 22.
The acquisition of the GVII-G500 has sparked criticism among former ministers, governors, and the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. In response, Bukhari reiterated that the jet forms part of a broader fleet strategy for Air Punjab. “We are acquiring a range of aircraft for Air Punjab, some of which will be leased. The aim is to build a diversified fleet, and this jet represents one part of that strategy.”
Former federal finance minister Miftah Ismail rejected this explanation, arguing that operating business jets makes no commercial sense for airlines. He maintained that linking the aircraft to Air Punjab amounted to an attempt to justify excessive expenditure and that the jet was effectively intended for VIP transport.
Punjab government officials stressed that no separate aircraft will be procured for the chief minister or other officials and that government travel will take place on Air Punjab services, with full commercial fares paid.
Air Punjab is a government-backed airline project approved in early 2025. The carrier plans to launch with seven Airbus aircraft operating domestic routes during the first two years, with international expansion to follow. The Punjab chief minister's existing helicopter will be inducted into the airline's fleet as the first operational asset.
The Punjab government had previously explored bidding for PIA - Pakistan International Airlines. In late 2025, a consortium led by industrial conglomerate Arif Habib Corporation, alongside real estate and fertiliser firms, acquired a 75% stake in the airline for PKR135 billion rupees (USD482 million), with the remaining 25% expected to be purchased for an estimated PKR45 billion (USD161 million).
