A satirical take on the debate over Punjab’s reported Rs10 billion jet asks why people are shocked by luxury in politics, arguing that the real issue is a culture in which power rises far above the public.
MediaBites Editorial – Satire
In a shocking development, the public has once again remembered that politicians enjoy luxury.
This time, the outrage is about a reported Rs 10 billion business jet for the Chief Minister of Punjab. A jet. For a ruler. Imagine the audacity. Since when did rulers travel on roads with traffic signals and motorcycles?
Let us be fair. The real mystery is not the plane. The real mystery is why people are surprised.
Our politicians have never been mere public servants. They are emotional descendants of royal families accidentally born after the monarchy ended. They campaign among the people but govern above the people. Elections are simply the modern coronation ceremony where voters act as unpaid palace staff.
So if a Chief Minister gets a Gulfstream G500, what is the problem? The protocol must match the status. A convoy of 40 vehicles on the road is normal protocol. A helicopter for a 12-minute journey is standard protocol. Security clearing an entire city for one person is normal protocol. But suddenly a plane hurts feelings?
Perhaps the public thinks austerity speeches apply to rulers too. That is a misunderstanding. Austerity is a motivational speech for citizens, not a lifestyle for leadership.
The bureaucracy also understands this tradition perfectly. Which is why everyone has become silent. No denial, no confirmation, only meditation. Silence is the highest form of administrative wisdom. If you say nothing, nothing happened.
Meanwhile, former insiders Miftah Ismail and Muhammad Zubair have expressed shock. Former advisers suddenly discovering luxury in politics is like palace chefs discovering the king eats well. They did not expose a secret; they merely opened a curtain behind which everyone was already standing.
Critics say the country faces inflation and poverty. True. But national morale also needs altitude. A flying government inspires grounded citizens. When people cannot afford petrol, at least they can watch leaders use aviation fuel.
Supporters explain that every state in the world has an official aircraft. Correct. The difference is that some countries use planes for state necessity, while we use necessity to justify planes.
In reality, the aircraft debate is philosophical. Should rulers look like rulers or look like voters? Our political culture has already answered. Leadership must never resemble the public too closely. It damages confidence.
So the question is not why buy a Rs 10 billion jet.
The question is why it took so long.
Because in our democracy, equality exists only on voting day. After that, governance returns to its traditional altitude.
And altitude requires wings.
