LAHORE: The Punjab government on Monday ordered retrieval of two official vehicles from the Lahore deputy commissioner’s (DC) office within 24 hours for their onward allocation to two special assistants to the chief minister.

In exchange for the two vehicles, the government has left two used 2014-model cars at the disposal of the DC’s office, which sources see as a bid to please the special assistants.

“The 2018-model cars, which were part of the deputy commissioner’s office pool, were allocated by the government a few months ago to replace two 2004-model vehicles. One was being used by Deputy Commissioner Saleha Saeed and the other by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Awais Malik,” an official source told Dawn.

According to a letter sent to the commissioner, the government has decided to retrieve the DC office’s vehicles in light of the recommendations of a sub-committee of the cabinet for their allocation to the provincial cabinet, rationalising the official vehicles.

“The provincial cabinet in its meeting of Dec 29, 2018 has approved recommendations of its sub-committee. Under these, LEG-18-9586 and LEG-18-8586 should be retrieved from the office of DC Lahore and the same allocated to Mr Javaid Akhtar Ansari (special assistant to the CM) and Syed Rafaqat Ali Gillani (special assistant to the CM), respectively,” the letter reads. “The vehicles -- LEG-14-622 and LEG-14-620 -- of the pool of the services and general administration department (S&GAD) will be given to the Lahore DC office,” it adds.

Will be allocated to CM’s special assistants

The government, through the letter, directed the commissioner to retrieve the newer cars from the DC’s office along with registration and log books within 24 hours and hand them over in lieu of the older model cars.

The source called the cabinet’s decision surprising since it should have recommended arranging of official vehicles for the CM’s special assistants from the S&GAD pool rather than the DC’s office.

“The vehicles officially designated for the office of the DC are mostly used in field jobs such as administration, revenue, relief etc,” he added. “It clearly sends a message that the provincial government wants new cars for its own advisers and special assistants.”

SEALED: A team of the city administration on Monday sealed two farmhouses for flouting the one-dish and time restrictions. The team also got cases registered against the owners, according to a spokesman. It also got the organsier arrested of a wedding at a private university for flouting the same rules.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2019