LHC seeks details of vehicles used by bureaucrats

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Punjab caretaker government to submit details within 10 days about the vehicles officially given to officers of all government departments.

Justice Rasaal Hassan Syed was hearing a petition challenging the government’s decision of providing new vehicles to assistant and additional commissioners in Punjab worth billions of rupees.

Farhat Mansoor Chandio, Advocate, representing the petitioners, contended that the federal government obtained a fresh heavy loan from the IMF on strict conditions, including enhanced utility bill tariff. He said the government imposed new taxes and withdrew subsidies on the essential needs of the poor masses to meet the IMF conditions, causing the poor to commit suicide due to the rising financial burden.

But the Punjab caretaker government approved Rs2 billion to purchase new vehicles for bureaucrats and that too is in violation of its mandate.

The counsel argued that the caretaker government had no jurisdiction to make any policy decision of permanent in nature, and thus acted beyond its constitutional mandate by approving Rs2 billion for purchasing new luxury cars for bureaucrats. He asked the court to set aside the government’s decision.

The government’s law officer objected to the maintainability of the petition, but the judge directed him to submit a reply to the petition and also furnish details of vehicles in use by the government officers in all departments.

The judge observed that senior government officials would be summoned if the reply was found to be unsatisfactory. The judge adjourned the hearing for 10 days.