PESHAWAR, Oct 16: The provincial excise and taxation department has got back its 56 luxurious vehicles from influential persons but most of them are in a bad shape with many of their precious parts missing, a Peshawar High Court bench was informed on Tuesday.

Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Irshad Qaiser directed the department to produce a report on the damage done to the said vehicles so that its cost could be recovered from the relevant people.They also ordered excise and taxation officer (headquarters) Jehandad Khan to ascertain the daily rent of these vehicles for recovery.

Hearing into the case about the handing over of luxurious vehicles to influential persons on superdari (temporary possession) was later adjourned to Nov 20.

Lawyer for the excise and taxation department Gohar Rehman Khattak and ETO Jehandad Khan produced a list of 56 people, who were given the said vehicles.

When the bench asked about the condition of the vehicles returned to the department, they said precious items, including CNG kit and stereo system, had been removed from most vehicles, while several were in bad condition.

The chief justice observed that all those people would be made to pay for the damage.

Mr Khattak said two vehicles were given to an official of population welfare department, Muzaffar Afridi, and he had claimed that one of these vehicles was lost and an FIR in this respect was lodged with the relevant police station.

The bench ordered to ascertain the market price of that model of car to recover the said amount of money from Muzafar Afridi.

Mr Jehandad informed the bench that he had made hectic efforts to implement the court order for get back the cars given on superdari. He said five cars had been missing, while the department had been conducting inquiries in this respect.

Mr Gohar Rehman Khattak said one of the vehicles was given to Peshawar assistant coordination officer Zafar Ali Shah, who claimed that the vehicle was transferred to the DCO office.

He said the other four vehicles were given to Dr Ihsan of the health department, additional advocate general Arshad Hussain, additional district and sessions judge Ikramullah Khan and the finance secretary.

The chief justice had taken a suo motu notice of the handing over of luxurious vehicles to influential persons on superdari and had ordered a few weeks ago to recover them all.

These vehicles were seized by the excise and taxation department from time to time.

Among those who got these vehicles were provincial minister Amjid Afridi, four MPAs Attefur Rehman, Shagufta Malik, Mehmood Alam and Mehr Sultana, provincial finance secretary, investigation officer of NAB Enayatullah Khan, district returning officer Manzoor Ahmad, health department officials Dr Ahsan and Akbar Khan, private secretary to the chief minister Mohammad Nawaz and the assistant coordination officer of Peshawar.