KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari, on the advice of the prime minister, has approved and signed the Supreme Court judges (leave, pension and privileges) (amendment) Order, 2013 entitling the judges of the court to use two official cars and Supreme Court judges (travelling allowance) Rules 1958 on Tuesday.

The president has also signed High Court judges (travelling allowance) (amendment) Order 2013 to amend the High Court judges (travelling allowance) Order 1965. According to the summary of law, justice and parliamentary affairs division, a full court meeting of the judges of the Supreme Court under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was held on July 20, 2011 regarding the entitlement of two cars to judges and audit objections in respect of maintaining large number of pool vehicles came under discussion.

In order to examine the issue, a committee comprising of Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was constituted which recommended necessary amendment in paragraph 21 of the Supreme Court judges (leave, pension and privilege) Order, 1997. Accordingly, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif advised the president to approve and sign the order in exercise of powers conferred by the fifth schedule of the constitution of Pakistan.

Regarding travelling and daily allowance of the judges, the summary of law and justice division states that mileage and daily allowance for the judges of the Supreme Court was last revised on June 8, 2006 and March 15, 2008 and in case of High Court Judges in 2006 and 2009.

It said that since the finance ministry has revised the mileage and daily allowance to the federal government employees on their tour or transfer with effect from July 1, 2012 and August 1, 2012 respectively, therefore in the same consideration it was necessary to increase the rates of mileage and daily allowance to the members of superior judiciary for which the Supreme Court had also made the request.