KARACHI: The Supreme Court suspended on Wednesday operation of the provincial government’s notification allowing renting out the government-owned luxury vehicles to former ministers and officers from whom they were withdrawn on an SC order.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, passed this order while hearing a matter pertaining to the use of luxury official vehicles by the former ministers and officers beyond their entitlement, at the SC’s Karachi Registry.

At the outset, Sindh Advocate General Barrister Zamir Ghumro filed a compliance report on behalf of the secretary for services, general administration and coordination department.

He said 149 luxury vehicles (Land Cruiser, Prado, Pajero, SUV, Fortuner etc) of the SGACD had been retrieved from the ex-cabinet members/government officers and had been parked in the department’s transport pool for further disposal as per the apex court’s orders.

Orders shifting of oil tankers from residential areas to Zulfikarabad terminal

The CJP asked how those official vehicles would be used in the future.

The AG informed the court that the SGACD had notified guidelines/policy under which, with the permission of the department, the same vehicles would be allowed for field tours of the ministers, secretaries and officers subject to certain conditions.

He also produced an official notification which stated that for the field tours the drivers for such vehicles would be provided by the relevant administrative department/organisation, which would also bear the costs of the fuel, repairs or damages, accidents etc.

It further stated that after seeking prior permission such vehicles would be reserved for specific field tour only and could not be used for other purposes. It added that in case of any delay in returning the official vehicles beyond the specific period, a penalty of Rs25,000 per day would be charged from the administrative department or the organisation concerned.

This visibly irked the chief justice, who remarked that it meant that the provincial government had now even started renting out official vehicles. He further remarked that nothing in Sindh was being done correctly.

CJP Nisar noted that the provincial government’s decision to start renting out the retrieved luxury official vehicles was based on mala fide intentions. “Under this notification, the ministers would keep these (official) vehicles under their use whole day,” he remarked. “The ministers do not like vehicles less than a Pajero.”

Suspending the operation of the notification providing the luxury official vehicles back to the ministers and offices on a rental basis, the chief justice clubbed the case with identical matters and set June 28 for a joint hearing at Islamabad.

Zulfikarabad oil tankers terminal

The same SC bench ordered shifting of all the oil tankers from the residential areas to the new Oil Tankers Terminal built in Zulfikarabad.

Earlier, the mayor said that the oil tanker owners were not willing to shift their vehicles to the new terminal set up at Zulfikarabad, set up almost a year ago.

Contesting the mayor’s statement, president of the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners’ Association Yousuf Shahwani said they were willing to relocate their vehicles to the new terminal, but complained of a lack of necessary facilities there.

He further complained that of the 200 acres earmarked for the terminal only 130 were provided for the new parking facility.

CJP Nisar asked the mayor that why the work had not yet been completed; the mayor said that the work had been finished and the court could get the same fact verified through its Nazir (official).

The court asked Advocate Zia Awan to visit the new terminal with Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and representatives of the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners’ Association to inspect the availability of the required facilities. Later, Mr Awan submitted his report, verifying the availability of all facilities, except the fire brigade vehicles and staff, a clinic, lights, a bank branch and a petrol station.

Action against senior police officers ordered

While hearing a case regarding inaction against the senior police officers with patchy service records, the bench directed the federal government to take strict action against the eight senior police officers having patchy service records in compliance with the directives of the apex court and personally summoned the secretary for the establishment division to submit a compliance report in this regard on June 28.

During the hearing, an additional advocate general submitted a report regarding departmental proceedings against all the police officers and officials involved in criminal activities. However, inquiries against only eight officers were pending and the same would be completed as soon as possible, the law officer said.

CJP Nisar remarked that the Sindh government had completed inquiries against the police officers involved in illegal appointments and the court had appreciated it. However, he noted that the federal government had not filed any report regarding action against the senior officers in that regard.

The chief justice directed the federal government to take strict action against all such officers strictly in compliance with the SC’s directives and in accordance with the law. He also summoned the establishment division secretary on June 28 with a compliance report.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018