LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench sought on Monday a reply from federal and Punjab governments on a petition by Jamatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed challenging special privilege and status for VIPs in the country.

As the bench headed by Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan resumed hearing, Advocate AK Dogar said public functionaries “living like kings and princes in palatial government houses” were not following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and were contravening the Constitution.

Also read: VIP culture

He said Pakistani rulers built air-conditioned stables and offered the horses costly jams. Whereas, he said, hundreds of Pakistanis collected leftovers from garbage.

The counsel said the government spent billions per day on the staff, household and allowances of the presidency, prime minister’s office, Senate, National Assembly and the cabinet secretariat.

Mr Dogar said David Cameron used to ride a bicycle to the House of Commons before he became prime minister and had to switch to an official car because of security concerns. He said London Mayor Boris Johnson went to work by bicycle.

He said VIP and VVIP statuses were ultra vires of the constitutional provisions of equality, social and economic justice and principle of democracy as enunciated by Islam. He said the closure of roads for VIPs was against fundamental rights.

He said the presidency, PM House, governors and chief ministers’ houses, ministers’ enclave and “palaces of all state functionaries” should be declared a violation of the principle of social justice.

The counsel asked the court to direct the government to follow the example of state functionaries in the UK, who traveled in buses and trains.

Know more: Blowing up VIP culture: 'Who authorised you to block the boulevard?'

The bench directed law officers of federal and provincial governments to submit replies by Nov 7.

Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ayesha A. Malik were other members of the bench.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2014