LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered confiscation of all government vehicles, being used beyond their official entitlement by federal and Punjab ministers and departments, by midnight of May 31.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, during a suo motu hearing pertaining to officials using luxury vehicles, disallowed use of government-owned bulletproof vehicles during elections. He directed authorities to confiscate such vehicles from lawmakers saying whoever wanted a bulletproof car should get their own.
During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Syed Nayyar Abbas Rizvi told the CJP that 105 government-owned automobiles are presently in use by the members of federal cabinet and departments.
According to the report presented by the additional attorney general, Maulana Fazlur Rehman owns one Land Cruiser and three double-cabin vehicles. Federal Ministers Abid Sher Ali and Kamran Michael has Mercedes Benz, while Khurshid Shah has a 4,400 cc bulletproof vehicle. Former law minister Zahid Hamid also owns a luxury vehicle.
Upon this, Justice Nisar summoned the federal minister to appear in the next hearing and hinted towards summoning all public-office holders who use unauthorised luxury vehicles.
