LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the caretaker Punjab government to submit details of the vehicles given to the officers of all departments.

Justice Rasaal Hassan Syed was hearing a petition challenging a decision of the government of providing new vehicles to the assistant and additional commissioners worth billions of rupees.

On behalf of the petitioner, Advocate Farhat Mansoor Chandio contended that the federal government obtained a loan from the IMF on strict conditions. He said the government imposed new taxes and withdrew subsidies on essential items to meet the conditions of the IMF programme. He said the poor people were committing suicides due to financial problems but the caretaker government approved a fund of Rs2.3bn to purchase new vehicles for the bureaucrats and that too in violation of its mandate.

The counsel argued that the caretaker government had no jurisdiction to make any policy decision permanent in nature. He said the caretaker government acted beyond its constitutional mandate when it approved the funds to purchase cars. He asked the court to set aside the decision of the government to provide new vehicles to the officers.

A government law officer objected to the maintainability of the petition.

Justice Syed directed the law officer to submit a reply to the petition and also furnish details of the vehicles being used by the government officers in all departments.

He observed that senior government officials would be summoned if the reply was found to be unsatisfactory.

The judge adjourned the hearing for 10 days.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023