Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday declared the notification of Sindh Government null & void for use of luxury vehicles by ministers and clubbed the applications of all provinces on use of luxury vehicles to be heard in Islamabad. At Karachi Registry of SC, the larger bench of apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar resumed the hearing on suo moto notice it took on use of luxury vehicles by federal and provincial ministers and government officers beyond their entitlement.
Advocate General Sindh Zamir Ghumro told the bench that 149 luxury vehicles have been recovered in Sindh when CJP inquired about number of luxury vehicles which have been recovered. He also asked about the place where these vehicles have been parked and how these would be used in future.
Advocate General Sindh told the court that a central pool has been established for these luxury vehicles and a mechanism has been devised for their use. He also submitted a notification of provincial government for use of luxury vehicles, which stated that these luxury vehicles would be used for field work and special purposes in the province.
Ghumro informed the court that Rs 25,000 would have to be paid if a luxury vehicle is hired for field work and special purposes. "It means Sindh Government has started giving these luxury vehicles on rent," CJP remarked and stated that this all seems to be done on ill-intention.
CJP said that provincial minister would be using these luxury vehicles for whole day under this notification because they didn't like to travel in vehicle less than a luxury vehicle.
Bench declared the notification of provincial government null & void and clubbed the applications of all provinces on use of luxury vehicles to hear them in Islamabad by putting off the hearing of the case till June 28.
Meanwhile, SC bench ordered to take actions against police officials, involved in illegal appointments in Sindh Police in the light of directives of apex court when provincial government informed the court that investigations against all officials except eight have been completed.
The larger bench of SC headed by Mian Saqib Nisar summoned Secretary Establishment to appear on June 28 when the case would be heard and observed Sindh Government submitted its report about officials involved in illegal appointments in the department, however federal government has yet to do this.
Additional Advocate General Sindh told the court that inquiries against eight police officials are underway in illegal appointments case and assured the court that these would be completed soon.