It has been revealed that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar spent almost Rs 8.5 million from the national exchequer on his helicopter rides during the year 2019.
The CM took 164 flights from August 2018 to November 2019, according to the document provided by his office recently. The document states that Buzdar used a helicopter almost every day, totaling 119.30 hours, with the average cost of each flight being Rs 52,000 per flight.
During these flights, the document adds, the CM had been accompanied by more than 643 party leaders, workers and government servants. As per the estimate, every passenger cost Rs 13,000 to the national exchequer.
Buzdar also made more than 10 local flights within Lahore. The chief minister’s helicopter was also used several times to travel from the CM’s Secretariat to Governor’s House, which is located hardly one kilometre away.
In October 2019, CM’s helicopter made five local flights within Lahore. Similarly, on October 28, 2019, he used a helicopter to visit the Governor House to complete a VIP mission, the document states.He made several visits to Pakpattan on board in his official helicopter during that period.
Buzdar made 55 flights in April and May 2019, with a total of 96 passengers accompanying him. In April 2019, the CM made 28 trips on his official helicopter, five of which were made to Taunsa, DG Khan. Similarly, he made 27 visits in May, eight in July, 13 in August, 10 in September, 14 in October, and 11 in November 2019.
It is pertinent to mention here that the CM House had refused to provide the information on the RTI request filed by Shehzad Yousafzai, a Rawalpindi based journalist. However, after the intervention of Punjab Information Commission, the office released the information.