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• Marriyum vows ‘maximum penalties’ under Defamation Law 2024
• Provincial govt spox says fake news is not journalism
• Junaid Safdar says he is in Lahore, not Vienna
LAHORE: The Punjab government has said it will initiate legal action against individuals and platforms for spreading what it termed “false propaganda” regarding the use of a government aircraft, warning that those involved will face strict consequences.
The provincial government said a malicious campaign based on fabricated stories about the use of the official plane is being circulated to mislead the public. Officials said they would approach the courts and proceed under the Defamation Law 2024 to seek maximum penalties.
A spokesperson for the Punjab government said the government would not spare those attempting to defame it.
“The spreaders of fake news would have to face the law,” the spokesperson said. “Misleading the public through fabricated reports was unacceptable.”
The government plans to pursue legal action rather than issue mere rebuttals, the spokesperson added.
“Fake news is not journalism but open defamation,” the spokesperson said, noting that every individual involved in the propaganda campaign would be brought before the law.
The action follows claims on social media that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s son, Junaid Safdar, travelled to Vienna on the aircraft.
The Sharif family has rejected the claims, with a spokesperson calling the reports “completely false”.
The family spokesperson stated that Junaid Safdar was at his residence in Raiwind with his wife and that the family reserves the right to take legal action against those spreading misleading information about him.
Mr Safdar also denied the report on his Instagram account.
“No, I have not taken a Gulfstream to Vienna. I am in Lahore, and I am much happier here in the rain,” he wrote in an Instagram story. “Nincompoops should have at least waited for Ramadan (sic) to end before restarting their propaganda turbines.”
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari also criticised the campaign, accusing opponents of spreading lies out of hostility towards Maryam Nawaz.
In a statement on the social media platform X, she said false reports had previously been circulated about the chief minister leaving the country and now fabricated stories were being spread about her family.
Ms Bukhari said that despite such propaganda, Maryam Nawaz would continue to introduce public welfare initiatives.
“Those spreading falsehoods would now have to face the consequences of their actions,” the minister added.
Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026
