ISLAMABAD — The Punjab government has handed over the operational control and maintenance of its Gulfstream G500 luxury jet to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after its own VIP Flight Wing was found unable to manage the aircraft independently. The provincial cabinet has approved the transfer along with a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the PAF covering maintenance, technical matters and financial arrangements.
The jet was procured for around Rs 10 billion. Why the PAF Is Taking Over The documents state that the Punjab VIP Flight Wing lacked the in-house capacity to operate and maintain the advanced jet. The aircraft needs specialised expertise, trained engineers and modern maintenance facilities, which the PAF already has.
Under the arrangement: The jet has been deregistered from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and allotted a PAF tail number. Three serving PAF pilots have been deputed to the Punjab government and are flying the aircraft alongside provincial pilots. The Additional Secretary (Welfare) of the Services and General Administration Department has been authorised to sign the MoU for Punjab.
The Punjab government believes the transfer will ensure safe flights, continuous readiness and round-the-clock availability of the aircraft. The roughly seven-year-old Gulfstream G500 drew criticism when reports of its Rs 10 billion price tag surfaced. It reached Lahore on December 28, 2025, and made its first domestic flight from Lahore to Multan on February 6, 2026.