15 October 2004	Friday	29 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Oct 14: Record placed before the National Assembly on Thursday showed that bureaucrats in the interior ministry were using vehicles of better make and horsepower than the federal ministers and the ministers of state.

The record was placed before the House by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao in response to a question by MNA Dr Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair who had asked for a detailed record of vehicles entitled to officers in Grade 19 and above along with registration numbers of vehicles, their make, horsepower and the entitlement of the officers.

The record showed that while interior secretary Tariq Mehmood was using a 2003 model 1300 cc Toyota Corolla, the officers serving below him were using vehicles of up to 2800 cc.

No explanation was given to the House for discrepancy in use of big horsepower vehicles by junior officers and the rules under which bureaucrats could be allowed to use luxury vehicles costing billions of rupees to the national exchequer.

Sources in the assembly said the late prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo during his tenure had launched an austerity dive to make the generals and bureaucrats use 800 cc cars, however, the practice was done away with by subsequent governments.

Record placed before the House showed that IGP, Islamabad, Fiaz Ahmed Toru (BPS-20) was using a 2000 CC vehicle. Director Development and Finance in ICT, Saqib Aleem (BPS-19) and director administration, Saqib Saleem (BPS-19), were using 2400 CC vehicles, while Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mehmood (BPS-19) was using two vehicles including a 2600 CC Mitsubishi Pajero and a 2000 CC Kia Sportage.

CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari, a Grade 21 officer, was using a 1300 CC car, while deputy director-general administration Suleman Sahito (BPS-19) was using a 2800 CC Rocky Jeep.

The other officers in the authority using 2800 CC vehicles with their names, grades and vehicle type are: DG services Jehan Zeb Khan (BPS-20), Toyota pick-up double cabin; Brig Syed Ghulam Akbar Bukhari (BPS-20), Toyota land cruiser-II; legal advisor Muhammad Nawaz Awan, Toyota pick-up double cabin; DG Mohiuddin Jameeli (BPS-20), Toyota jeep; director administration Hayat Khan, Pajero jeep; director staff Faisal Awan, Toyota pick-up double cabin; director estate management Umer Rasool (BPS-19), Toyota land cruiser; director estate management-II Shahid Murtaza Bokhari (BPS-19), Toyota pick-up double cabin; director lands Khalid Mehmood Mirza (BPS-19), Toyota pick-up double cabin; director (BPS-19), Toyota pick- up double cabin; Director maintenance Samiullah Jan (BPS-19); Toyota pick-up double cabin; director water supply Jamilur Rehman (BPS-19), Mitsubishi Jeep; director municipal administration Momin Agha (BPS-19), Mitsubishi Jeep; director environment Sheikh Suleman (BPS-19), Toyota pick-up double cabin; director sanitation SM Mustafain Kazmi (BPS-19), Toyota pick-up double cabin.

In Pakistan Rangers, Punjab, four grade 19 officers including Col Rab Nawaz, Col Qaiser Khan, Col Azhar Manzoor and Col Adil Jehan were using 2000 CC Kia Sport age 4x4 wheel drive vehicles.

Record showed that in FIA, 10 officers were using vehicles of 2800 CC including Abdul Qadeer Bhatti (BPS-20), Muhammad Akbar Khan Hoti (BPS-19), Ch Tanveer Ahmed (BPS-19), Syed Asif Akhtar (BPS-19), Tehsin Anwar Ali (BPS-19), Akhtar Hussain Gorchani (BPS-19), Malik Naveed Khan (BPS-19), Shaukat Hayat (BPS-19), SS Babar Khattak (BPS-20) and Iqbal Mahmood (BPS19).