Senate Secretariat responds to queries on Gilani's Land Cruiser purchase

• Land Cruiser for Senate chairman bought in 2025: secreteriat.
• Says purchase made during FY24-25 through "transparent process".
• Adds it was part of broader vehicle replacement programme
  

ISLAMABAD: A Land Cruiser for Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani was bought in May 2025 during the 2024-2025 financial year through a "transparent procurement process" as part of a comprehensive vehicle replacement programme, the secretariat said.

A spokesperson said that the acquisition also included the replacement of vehicles for the chairpersons of standing committees, the Senate Deputy Chairman, the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Secretariat, The News reported.

The spokesperson further clarified that the vehicle in question had been delivered in March, 2026, whereas the payment was made from the previous year’s budget savings in May, 2025.

"The Senate Secretariat’s attention was drawn to certain media reports regarding the purchase of a Land Cruiser for the Chairman of the Senate, Gilani. These reports are misleading, factually incorrect, and appear to be based on incomplete information and mala fide intentions,” the spokesperson said.

"The Senate Secretariat categorically rejects these baseless insinuations and urges media organisations to exercise due diligence and professional responsibility in reporting matters related to state institutions."

Commenting on the media reports, a senator, belonging to the treasury benches, requesting anonymity, regretted that the purchase was needless in such a national scenario, wherein over 70 million people live below the poverty line amid soaring inflation.