A petition seeking cancellation of luxury vehicles' auction of the Prime Minister House, scheduled for September 17, was moved in Islamabad High Court on Friday.
Pakistan Awami League chairman Chaudhary Nasir Mahmood filed the petition through his counsel Asghar Ali Mubarak Advocate and cited the prime minister through general staff officer, chairman Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Press Information Department through PIO and secretary interior as respondents.
He stated in his petition that as per media reports published in various newspapers, a number of luxurious and surplus vehicles would be auctioned on September 17 at the PM House. He added that the vehicles included eight BMWs, three 5000cc SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs. The list also contains four Mercedes Benz cars and two of them are 4000cc bulletproof vehicles.
There are 16 Toyota cars including two Land Cruisers. Apart from these, there are four bulletproof Land Cruisers of 2015 model, one Honda Civic, three Suzuki vehicles and many others.
The petitioner said in his petition that the said amount could have been saved by advertising such news on social media or through press conference of PIO or on state media i.e. PTV, Radio Pakistan and others.
He maintained that as per the advertisement, the vehicles could be examined on September 13 to 14 in office timing near gate 5 parking area of the PM House and final auction date is September 17. He contended that due to the said auction, the travelling expenses of scheduled visiting foreign guests and dignitaries would be on the shoulder of public as then vehicles would be obtained on daily rent or monthly basis for their pick and drop from airport to hotel.
Therefore, he prayed to the court that the auction scheduled for September 17 may be cancelled and respondents may be restrained from auctioning the said vehicles in order to meet the ends of justice.