‘The Plane Was Brought for Maryam Nawaz, So She Will Use It’: Capt (R) Safdar Defends Use of Government Aircraft
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and husband of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Captain (retd.) Safdar, has defended her use of a government aircraft, responding sarcastically to a journalist’s question about the matter.
During a media interaction, a journalist asked Captain (retd.) Safdar about Maryam Nawaz’s use of the official aircraft. In his characteristic informal manner, he rejected the criticism and said, “You are crying as if your plane has been used. It is a government plane, so it has been used. If the plane was brought for the chief minister, she will use it. Who else is supposed to sit in it—you or me?”
کیپٹن صفدر 😂 pic.twitter.com/XvXjDYZsQd
— Aftab khan Niazi (@aftabniazi007) September 24, 2026
He further remarked, “I cannot ask her about it. It is not my father’s plane.”
A video of Captain (retd.) Safdar’s informal response has subsequently circulated widely on social media.
Meanwhile, journalist Benazir Shah has raised questions regarding transparency after the Punjab government reportedly submitted expenses amounting to Rs271.94 million for the government aircraft used by Maryam Nawaz during her private visit to London.
Benazir Shah questioned whether the amount had been paid directly from Maryam Nawaz’s personal bank account or through another mechanism.
She also asked which account had received the payment and whether the amount had been deposited into the Punjab government’s central treasury account.
The journalist said that although the government had claimed that the payment had been made and receipts had been produced, questions regarding the mechanism and destination of the payment remained relevant to transparency in the use of public resources.
