Punjab Cabinet Eyes 28 New Vehicles Worth PKR 300 Million Amid Public Austerity Concerns

Lahore —
Punjab government’s Transport Wing has submitted recommendations to purchase 28 new vehicles worth PKR 300 million (approximately $1.07 million) for provincial cabinet members, official documents revealed on Tuesday.
According to the documents, the proposed fleet includes two bullet-proof vehicles worth PKR 40 million earmarked for two ministers, for which the government had already granted prior approval.
Separately, recommendations for the purchase of 25 vehicles worth PKR 270 million for VIP use have also been approved, the documents show.
The expenditure does not stop there. An additional PKR 530 million has been earmarked for vehicles and motorcycles for the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, bringing the total outlay across all categories to a significant figure.
Punjab government officials confirmed that the formal procurement process will commence once the recommendations receive final approval from the competent authority.
The proposals are likely to draw scrutiny from opposition parties and civil society, given that Punjab, like the rest of Pakistan, continues to grapple with fiscal pressures, a heavy debt burden, and persistently high inflation that has strained household budgets across the province.
No official comment was immediately available from the Punjab government regarding the justification for the large-scale vehicle procurement.