LAHORE: The Supreme Court has ordered government officials and departments to return vehicles in their possession by Thursday midnight without merit.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar issued the order while presiding over a three-member bench at the Lahore registry of the apex court.
On April 14, Justice Nisar had directed federal and provincial cabinet secretaries to submit a record of all ministers and officers using sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and luxury vehicles beyond their official entitlement.
As the hearing went underway, Additional Attorney General Nayyar Abbas presented the detail of vehicles in possession of government institutes and members of the cabinet. According to the report, 105 vehicles were being used by the cabinet members and government officials.
The report stated that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a Land Cruiser and three double-cabin vehicles, federal ministers Abid Sher Ali and Kamran Michael had Mercedes-Benz, whereas Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf had a bullet-proof vehicle.
Although no officer or minister has the right to possess a vehicle of over 1,800 CC, the vehicles stated in the report have an engine size above the given margin, the additional attorney general said.
To this, the chief justice asked under what authority the prime minister approved the purchase of such high-cost vehicles. He remarked that the public does not pay taxes for luxuries of ministers.
Justice Nisar ordered that vehicles possessed without merit should be impounded by Thursday midnigth. He also observed that action would be taken against board of directors and they would be made to pay for vehicles acquired illegally.
Justice Nisar observed that matter of vehicles possessed without merit could also be sent to the National Accountability Bureau.
Separately, the Supreme Court on Thursday took up a number of appeals against decisions handed down by different high courts over exorbitant fees being charged by private schools in the country.
The Islamabad High Court had recently barred private schools from collecting fees during summer vacations. Meanwhile, in a separate case, the Peshawar High Court had said schools could not collect more than half of the tuition fee during vacations of over 30 days and declared an annual promotion fee illegal. The SC, which heard the appeals at its Lahore Registry today, rejected schools’ appeals to issue stay orders on the decisions and asked all parties in the case to submit their replies.
“This is a serious issue and the court is considering a suo motu notice,” Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked.
“The private school mafia seems to have destroyed public schools by colluding together,” the chief justice further remarked, adding that the court was aware of how school franchises were created.
He also sought details about withholding tax being charged from students.
Published in Daily Times, June 1st 2018.
