Punjab govt billed Rs160 million for 17-day helicopter service

The Punjab Finance Department has raised serious concerns over a Rs160.3 million bill for helicopter services hired during flood-related rescue and relief operations across the province, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

According to official documents, helicopter services were acquired from a private company M/s Askari Aviation (Private) Limited for 17 days, from August 28 to September 13, 2025, during the emergency flood situation.

The Finance Department has questioned why the process for payment and regularization of the helicopter services was initiated eight months after the services were provided. The department noted that no clear reason or justification for the unusual delay had been provided in the available record.

The department has also raised concerns over the independent verification of the helicopter's flying logs. According to the documents, there was no independent verification confirming the actual flying hours for which the government was billed.

Another major concern relates to the reasonableness of the helicopter service rates. The Finance Department noted that no independent assessment had been provided to establish that the rates charged by the private company were reasonable and in line with prevailing market rates.

The department also pointed out that possible tax liabilities and tax implications had not been properly taken into account while processing the payment.

The Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has stated that direct contracting can be allowed in emergency situations. However, it said the relevant legal provisions must first be clearly identified and complied with.

PPRA also emphasized the importance of market research and market analysis by the procuring agency before determining the rates for such emergency services.

Documents further show that the Punjab Finance Department had already released Rs72.23 billion for flood rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities. Despite the availability of funds for flood-related operations, questions have now been raised over the procedure followed for hiring and subsequently regularizing the helicopter services.

Punjab Chief Secretary has maintained that the helicopter services were obtained under emergency circumstances and that payment for the services is the responsibility of the provincial government.

The matter is now under scrutiny as the Finance Department examines the delayed regularization, verification of flying records, market-based assessment of rates and applicable tax obligations before clearing the Rs160.3 million payment.