Senate Secretariat debunks reports about Rs90Mn Land Cruiser for Yousaf Raza Gilani

2026-03-16 - 15:44

ISLAMABAD – Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yousaf Raza Gilani remained in news as a fresh controversy emerged as reports claimed that a Rs90 million Land Cruiser had been purchased amid an austerity drive. Amid contrasting reports, the Senate Secretariat cleared the air, saying these claims are misleading and lack full context. According to the Senate Secretariat’s spokesperson, the Land Cruiser in question was actually procured in May 2025 during the financial year 2024–2025 through a transparent and approved procurement process. The purchase was not a standalone acquisition for the Chairman Senate but part of a broader vehicle replacement plan that also covered vehicles allocated to the Chairman of Standing Committees, the Deputy Chairman Senate, the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Senate Secretariat. The Secretariat further clarified that payment for the vehicle was made in May 2025 using savings from the previous fiscal year’s budget. However, the vehicle itself was delivered later, in March 2026, which appears to have caused confusion and led to inaccurate reporting suggesting a recent purchase. Based on these details, the claim that the Land Cruiser was newly purchased in 2026 for the Chairman Senate is misleading, as the procurement and payment were completed in May 2025, while the delivery occurred in March 2026 under an already approved procurement plan. Senate Secretariat has also rejected what it described as baseless insinuations and urged media organizations to exercise due diligence, verify facts carefully, and maintain professional responsibility when reporting on matters concerning state institutions.