Punjab CM Office rejects RTI requests for details on Maryam's tours, fleet and jet acquisition

LAHORE: The Punjab Chief Minister’s Office has turned down requests filed under the right to information law seeking details about the vehicles used by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, her foreign travel and a luxury aircraft acquired by the provincial government.

The requests were submitted by lawyer Abdullah Malik before the Punjab Public Information Commission (PIC), with one application filed in July last year and another in February this year. The right to information is protected under Article 19-A of the Constitution, which provides citizens access to information held by public bodies.

In his July application, Malik sought information on expenditure under the heads of fuel, vehicle maintenance and tours, including international visits. He also asked for the total number of vehicles in the chief minister’s use along with their make, model and cost.

The lawyer further requested details of spending on any helicopter or aircraft used by the chief minister, including total mileage of travel. He also asked for the total number of social media team members at the CM House and their salaries.

In the same application, Malik sought to know whether approval for the chief minister’s foreign tours had been obtained from the Ministry of Finance, how many officials accompanied her on her Japan visit and what expenses were incurred on that trip.

In a separate application filed in February, he asked for details regarding a G500 jet. The Gulfstream 19-seater aircraft is estimated to be worth between $38 million and $42m. Maryam has faced criticism over the Punjab government’s purchase of the plane.

The Punjab administration had initially not publicly disclosed details of the aircraft’s acquisition, but later said it was part of a proposed airline project.

Replies to both applications were received by the lawyer earlier this month, and both were dated April 28.

"The desired information is not held by this office," the CM Office’s public information officer said responding to the July application. The response also invoked what it described as a legitimate exception for withholding the material, stating, "The information sought is excepted under section 13(1)(e) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013."

"A public information officer may refuse an application for access to information where disclosure of the information shall or is likely to cause harm to — the life, health or safety of any person," the section states.

According to the record of proceedings before the PIC, the public information officer repeatedly sought adjournments in connection with the July application until the commission issued a strict warning on April 13 of penal consequences if no response was submitted.

"It is informed that desired information is not held by this office. The same is hereby returned under the relevant provision of Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013," the public information officer replied on the request concerning the luxury jet.

Earlier precedent

In 2021, the same legitimate exception provision had also been cited to deny a request for details of official vehicles and related records used by then Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar of the PTI. At the time, the decision had drawn strong criticism from PML-N leaders, who were then in opposition.