QUETTA, July 20: A division bench of Balochistan High Court said on Wednesday that issuance of rahdaris, documents and letters for unregistered vehicles by the services and general administration department, the chief security officer to the chief minister and army officers of different ranks was in contravention of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance of 1965.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Issa and Justice Mohammad Hashim Kakar told the additional advocate general that the provincial chief secretary should file a reply or appear before the court to clarify the matter.

The court said Sub-section (1) of Section 23 of the ordinance stipulated that no person should drive any motor vehicle and no owner should cause or permit a vehicle to be driven in any place unless its registration was displayed in the prescribed manner.

Section 115 says that a vehicle without a number plate may be impounded by a police officer.

The additional advocate general filed a report on behalf of provincial and Quetta police chiefs, saying the department of service sand general administration and the chief minister's security officer issued certificates for unregistered vehicles that in the use of ministers and their children. The report said army officers also issued rahdaris pertaining to unregistered vehicles.

The court observed that the provincial customs collector had said that the chief minister had barred customs authorities from impounding smuggled vehicles.

The court had asked the provincial government to clarify through the chief secretary whether the chief minister had issued such an order and under which provision of the law, but the official did not respond.

It accepted a request by the additional advocate general to give him another opportunity to file a statement on behalf of the chief secretary.

The hearing was adjourned till Sept 9.