Rs55 per km helicopter ride: Twitteratis can't stop making fun of Info Minister's calculations
Fawad said PM Imran Khan commute from PM house to Bani gala costs 50 to 55 km/h
(WebDesk) - In the wake of austerity measures, the latest bizarre statement of information minister Fawad Chaudhary is rigorously being criticized and ridiculed. The users of social media have gone crazy after the federal minister of Information in an interview to a local news channel, made an astounding disclosure about the cost of the travel of helicopter, being used to commute by Prime Minister Imran Khan from PM house to Bani gala which costs between 50 to 55 rupees per kilometer.
This revelation was made in a heated exchange over Punjab’s chief minister’s usage of a private jet to travel with his family to Islamabad. The news program host interjected shortly afterwards, casting light on this revelation. Chaudhry went on to elaborate on the right of the PM Imran to utilize all the perks offered to his office. Information minister futher said that this does not affect the public.
Earlier another PTI stalwart Ali Muhammad Khan on social media had also came up in the defense of the use of helicopters by PM Imran Khan from PM house to Bani gala, with a tweet stating that Those unduly criticising PM Imran Khan for the use of Helicopter from PMhouse to Banigala must know that using Helicopter for 3 min Fly is more cheaper fuel consumption more safe and with no traffic blockade.
— Ali Muhammad Khan (@Ali_MuhammadPTI) August 26, 2018
On the other hand, PTI MNA Aamir Liaqat Hussain has also stepped forward on Twitter ridiculing his own party’s spending on the PM’s mode of transportation.
— Aamir Liaquat Husain (@AamirLiaquat) August 28, 2018
THE DISTANCE, COSTS AND COMMUTE FROM PM HOUSE TO BANI GALA
According to google maps, PM Imran Khan reaches to Banigala from three different ways from PM house which distances 13.8 km via Jinnah Road in approx. 26 minutes, 16.4 km via 3rd Ave and Murree Rd/N-75 in approx. 36 mins and 17.5 km via Murree Rd/N-75 in almost 30 mins. by road.
However, via helicopter these distances ranges from 8 to 10 nautical miles.
The helicopter which is being used by the PM Imran Khan is called AW139. This helicopter per nautical mile cost approx. PKR 1600. As per this, cost of each visit ranges from PKR 12800 to 16000.
The same distance with fuel costing PKR 35-40km/hr via road, would be ranges from PKR 350 to 750 from PM house to Banigala.
Pakistan government owns seven helicopters out of which 02 helicopters remain in the use of Prime Minister of Pakistan.
According to a report by BBC, the helicopter which is being used by the PM Imran Khan is called AW139.
The Agusta Westland AW139 is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced principally by AgustaWestland.This helicopter per nautical mile cost approx. PKR 1600. As per this, cost of each visit ranges from PKR 12800 to 16000.
The same distance with fuel costs PKR 35-40km/hr via road would be ranges from PKR 350 to 750 from PM house to Banigala.
Distance between PM house and Banigala from three different routes. Photo: Google map
It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing a NAB inquiry for his excessive use of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa helicopters during the PTI’s previous tenure in the province.
Also Read: Railways, Minister Railways and Railway walas: A week in the ministry of Sheikh Rasheed
Since the interview went air, social media is on fire and can’t help trolling and mocking the information minister over his ill-logical and absurd reasoning in defense of the use of the helicopters ever for the short distances, by the CM Punjab and most significantly daily commute of PM from PM house to Banigala. Helicopter and 55 km become top trends. PM Imran Khan led government and cabinet after the vows being made for taking stern austerity measures and not following the proclamation after being reiterated, is sternly in hot waters by the opposition, journalists, civil society and social media users.
—(@adeelayub2) August 28, 2018
— (@MSagheer_) August 28, 2018
— Inam Ullah kureshi (@InamUllahQures5) August 28, 2018
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) August 28, 2018
— Liaquat Hussain (@Liaqyat) August 27, 2018
— Hasan Zaidi (@hyzaidi) August 28, 2018
— Saba Hyder (@SabaHyder1) August 28, 2018
— Mujtaba Sharf (@MujtabaSharf) August 28, 2018
— Abdul Karim Odhejo (@AbdulkarimPPP) August 28, 2018
— ch Aamir (@chaamirzafar) August 28, 2018
— Malik Idrees (@MalikIdrees922) August 28, 2018
— Imran Hussain (@Imran_hj) August 28, 2018
— (@AfshanMasab) August 28, 2018
— A.Waheed Murad (@awaheedmurad) August 28, 2018
— (80) (@iamALI_tariq) August 28, 2018
— Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) August 28, 2018
— Majid Agha (@Majid_Agha) August 28, 2018
— Fahad Tahir (@Khooni_Liberal) August 27, 2018
— Mosharraf Zaidi (@mosharrafzaidi) August 28, 2018
