KARACHI, Jan 14: A Sindh High Court division bench vacated on Friday an interim order made by it to allow PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari to use vehicles with tinted glasses and employ armed personal guards for his security.

The bench was informed that the petitioner, who was earlier appearing in person, had gone abroad and that his attorney, Advocate Farooq H. Naek, was on general adjournment.

Vacating the order, the bench, which consisted of Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Maqbool Baqar, adjourned the hearing to a date to be fixed by office. In its comments and application, the provincial government submitted that the motor vehicles law and rules prohibited the use of coloured or tinted windowpanes.

The law admitted of no exception or exemption from use of transparent glasses. The petitioner was free to employ personal guards but there was no provision for armed guards. Their services could be acquired from one of the security firms licensed by the government to operate in the province.

The bench passed the interim order on Dec 17, 2004, when it first took up the petition and Mr Zardari submitted that there was a threat to his personal safety and security.