Governor-CM tussle leads to the trashing of an aircraft

LAHORE: An aircraft owned by the Punjab government, was reduced to scrap owing to a tug of war between the Governor House and Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) regarding its administrative control.

The Punjab government owned two aircraft and a Mi-17 helicopter. VIP Flight Maintenance and Operation Cell is responsible to operate and maintain the two Beech Jet-400A aircraft while Aviation Flight (previously known Rotary Wing) operated the helicopter.

The cold war started in September 2008 when both these departments were given under the control of the S&GAD, as far as their financial and administrative affairs are concerned, through amendments in Rules of Business, 1974. Prior to that period, the Governor’s Secretariat was responsible.

However, this was not the last time the supervision of the aircraft was shifted. When in February 2009, Governor Rule was imposed in Punjab, their control was once more given to the Governor’s Secretariat. With the end of the Governor Rule, the control went back to the S&GAD.

Of the two aircrafts, one was purchased during the tenure of Mian Manzoor Ahmed Watto as chief minister and the other during the government of Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi.

In the 2009-10 budget, the finance department included the VIP Flight Maintenance and Operation Cell’s expenditure in the S&GAD current expenditures to avoid further conflict on its administrative and financial control, sources said.

The jet purchased by Watto has been grounded since June 2004 when the hanger’s roof fell on it.

In April 2008 the Punjab government introduced an austerity drive in the public sector to divert funds towards the development of infrastructure in the province. To achieve the targets, the government decided to sell all extra vehicles it owned. A committee headed by the provincial minister for excise and taxation was given the task to auction more than 700 vehicles surrendered by various departments and raise Rs170 million.

However, due to the tussle over its administrative control, efforts were not made to sell the damaged aircraft even though it could have fetched more than all the vehicles put together. According to a technical expert in the Punjab government, the aircraft at that point could have fetched up to Rs400-million.

Later in 2010, the chief minister constituted a committee headed by the provincial minister excise and taxation to auction the aircraft. By that time though, most of the parts were damaged and had rusted. According to an official, the aircraft was not maintained while it was grounded. All this time though, the aircraft was parked at the VIP Flight Hanger at the old terminal of the Lahore airport. The parking fee alone was Rs0.5 million per month.

Nevertheless, the government placed a tender notice in newspapers and a firm called Associated Group offered US$100,000 for the aircraft.

This offer was turned down by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the recommendations of the chief pilot who said that its parts should be utilised in other aircraft after proper procedure.

At the same time, in the last session of the Punjab Assembly in July 2010, the government tried to table a bill to ensure that no government aircraft can be used by any member of the government, including the governor, without the chief minister’s approval. This was to make the governor require the chief minister’s approval for the use of the plane, says a government official.

The bill was withdrawn before it could be introduced following the protest of the government’s coalition partner, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian.

An official of the S&GAD, requesting anonymity, said two attempts were made to sell the aircraft but it could not fetch a good enough price. He said its parts were being used in other operational aircraft.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2010.