CJP reprimands Sindh govt for renting luxury cars

KARACHI: A notification allowing the renting of luxury cars for the provincial government was blacklisted on Wednesday by the Supreme Court (SC).

Vehicles being used beyond entitlement by government officials were earlier confiscated under the apex court’s orders.

During the hearing of a suo motu case on luxury vehicles at the Karachi Registry, the apex court decided to hear all petitions pertaining to the matter in Islamabad on June 28.

The Sindh government was reprimanded by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar for ill-governance after being informed by the provincial advocate general that a notification had been issued regarding the renting of luxury cars. “The luxury vehicles may be rented at Rs25, 000 for exclusive reasons and fieldwork.”

When Justice Nisar inquired about the number of vehicles confiscated, he was informed the number stood at 149. The top judge further asked if anything in Sindh functioned properly. “This comes under the umbrella of malicious intentions. The notification allows ministers to easily use the vehicles again.”

In an earlier hearing, Justice Nisar had ordered all unverified cars being used by ministers and public employees to be confiscated.

On May 31, the bench, hearing a suo motu case pertaining to officials using luxury vehicles, also disallowed use of government-owned bulletproof vehicles during elections and directed authorities to withdraw such vehicles being used by ministers and public servants.

Source: Express Tribune