Hafiz Naeem urges Punjab CM to sell luxury jet to ease fuel crisis

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Monday demanded that Maryam Nawaz sell her luxury jet, valued at around Rs11 billion, to provide relief to the public amid rising fuel prices.

The government recently announced a Rs55 per litre increase in petrol and diesel, citing surging global oil costs linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East. Petrol now costs Rs321.17 per litre, while diesel has risen from Rs275.70 to Rs335.86 per litre.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Hafiz Naeem criticized the government’s handling of the energy crisis. “You have imposed a petrol bomb on the public. Why hasn’t Maryam Nawaz sold her jet?” he asked, urging the sale of the aircraft to provide relief to Punjab residents.

He also called for restrictions on high-engine government vehicles, saying no car should exceed 1,300 cc, and criticized the use of luxury 2,500 cc vehicles.

Hafiz Naeem condemned the ongoing US-Israel attacks on Iran, labeling them acts of terrorism and warning of their destabilizing impact on the Middle East.

The JI chief accused the United States of being influenced by weapons manufacturers, and said the United Nations had failed to play an impartial role in global conflicts.

Last month, reports revealed that the Punjab government plans to purchase 108 new vehicles for provincial ministers and bureaucrats at a cost of Rs1.14 billion, including 28 vehicles for ministers worth Rs30 crore.

The proposed fleet comprises 1 Land Cruiser, 2 Haval H6 1.5T, 5 Altis Grande, 10 Toyota Altis, and 10 Toyota Yaris vehicles.

Additionally, two ministers are set to receive bulletproof 4×4 vehicles worth Rs4 crore, which the government has already approved, according to sources at the Services & General Administration Department (S&GAD).