Former federal ministers Muhammad Zubair and Fawad Chaudhry have raised questions over the payment documents submitted for Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s private London trip on a government aircraft.
Maryam Nawaz had used the Punjab government’s Gulfstream G500 aircraft during her private London visit earlier this month. The Punjab government said she would personally cover the expenses.
According to payment documents reported on September 17, Rs27.194 million was deposited into the Punjab government’s treasury account for the aircraft expenses. The payment was made through a Bank of Punjab cheque and deposited at the National Bank of Pakistan’s Valencia Branch in Lahore.
The documents have now triggered fresh questions from opposition figures.
Zubair Raises Questions Over Deposit Slip
Muhammad Zubair claimed that the submitted deposit slip was incomplete and lacked details required for processing.
He said the document did not contain an account number. He questioned whether a bank would accept or stamp such a slip.
Zubair also pointed to the authorised signatory section, saying it did not contain a signature.
He further questioned why the document did not clearly state the currency of payment.
According to Zubair, the slip also did not specify whether the payment was being made from a current or savings account.
He additionally questioned the absence of the account holder’s name.
Based on these points, Zubair claimed that the document, in its presented form, would not be processed or cleared by a bank. These are his claims and have not independently established that the payment itself was invalid.
Fawad Chaudhry Demands Original Receipt
Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry also joined the debate.
He reposted Zubair’s social media post and addressed Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari.
Chaudhry called for the original payment receipt to be presented instead of what he referred to as the “Qatari letter.”
The dispute follows earlier criticism over Maryam Nawaz’s use of the provincial government aircraft for a private trip.
Punjab officials have maintained that the chief minister personally paid the aircraft expenses.
The reported payment documents show a deposit of Rs27,194,004 into the government account. The payment was recorded on September 17, 2026.
The controversy now centers on the documentation and processing of the payment rather than whether a payment was made.
