BAHAWALPUR, May 9: The auction of 26 vehicles of the late Nawab of Bahawalpur Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V generated over Rs10 million income , which would be distributed among 23 legal heirs and descendants by States and Frontier Region (Safron) of the Federal Kashmir and States Affairs Ministry.

The auction, which included about 14 Rolls Royce, Renault, Cadillac and other costly cars, within the heirs of the late Nawab was supervized at the Sadiqgarh Palace, Dera Nawab Sahib, by a sub-committee.

The sub-committee comprised former EDO (Revenue) and chairman Abdul Ghafoor Bhatti, Ahmedpur East DDO (Revenue) Ahmed Ghazi Amanullah Khan, Safron representatives Zahid Siddiqui, Shehbaz Ahmed and Bahawalpur DO (Revenue) Waseem Shamshad.

Since the auction could not be completed till late at night, the auction of buggis was to postpone till Monday (today). Out of six Rolls Royce cars, four could be auctioned as one of them called 'darbari' (which was in personal use of the late Nawab) could not be auctioned owing to a high court stay order. Similarly, Cadillac and Jaguar could not be auctioned for the same reason.

The highest bid of Rs3.4 million went for a Rolls Royce car, about which the legal heirs claimed that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the last viceroy of the subcontinent had together travelled in this car.

Its successful bidder was former MNA Sahibzada Farooq Anwar Abbasi, who also bought a Chrysler for Rs330,000 and Renault for Rs0.9 million. UC Nazim Sahibzada Umar Daud Abbasi was successful in buying two Rolls Royce cars for Rs2.5 million and Rs2.8 million. He also bought Rolls Royce (armoured) for Rs310,000.

Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi purchased two cars - Jaguar for Rs0.5 million and Baby Austin for Rs17,000 only. Former federal minister Prince Saeedul Rashid Abbasi was declared a final bidder of a Chrysler car with Rs0.5 million while a Cadillac car was purchased by Azizur Rashid Abbasi for Rs1 million. Dr Rahimya Abbasi purchased an Arm Strong Sydney car for Rs320,000.

Earlier, the sub-committee held the draws for the allotment of the lots of the palace remaining articles, including furniture (broken as well) and library books. Later, the legal heirs and descendants took their share of furniture and books by trucks and tractor-trollies to their residences.

On Monday, the sub-committee will also distribute/auction the articles which are in police custody at Ahmedpur East after their recovery from the alleged thieves.