Summary Sources said the ECC's approval of funds for the maintenance of government assets was a routine administrative procedure
ISLAMABADB (Dunya News) - Reports circulating on social media claiming that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved Rs1.094 billion for the purchase of a luxury Lineage 1000 executive jet for the military leadership are false and misleading, official sources have clarified.
The sources said the approved funds were not meant for purchasing a new aircraft but had been allocated for the maintenance, overhauling and logistical requirements of an aircraft already being used by the prime minister.
The responsibility for maintaining the existing government aircraft rests with the Ministry of Defence, they added.
The financial figures also contradict claims about the purchase of a new jet. A business aircraft such as the Lineage 1000 is estimated to cost between 25 million and 50 million dollars, equivalent to approximately Rs7 billion to Rs14 billion.
In contrast, the approved allocation of Rs1.094 billion, or around 3.9 million dollars, is significantly lower than the estimated purchase price of such an aircraft.
According to the sources, the amount is intended to cover routine repairs, engine maintenance and other essential inspections of the existing government VIP aircraft.
They said the ECC's approval of funds for the maintenance of government assets was a routine administrative procedure.
Linking the allocation for the upkeep of an existing aircraft to the alleged purchase of a luxury jet for military chiefs was therefore contrary to the facts and misleading, the sources maintained.
