The decision to procure double cabin vehicles is not rooted in extravagance but in necessity, the services department secretary told the Sindh High Court in a recent hearing as he justified the procurement of 138 double cabin vehicles for assistant commissioners across the province.
Filing comments on a petition filed by JI MPA Mohammad Farooq and others who had challenged the procurement of 138 heavy vehicles at enormous government expenses, the services secretary said the assistant commissioners were tasked with critical duties that often required them to navigate challenging terrains and respond swiftly to emergencies.
He said that funds were already allocated in the budget for the offices of assistant commissioners for the current fiscal year and no expenditure had been made outside the budget.
He said the decision to make centralised procurement was made keeping in view the efficiency, accountability and transparency in the procurement process. The high court was informed that there was a ban on the import of vehicles and the only viable option for the government was to procure double cabin vehicles.
He argued that austerity did not mean paralysing the government’s ability to function and it was crucial to differentiate between frivolous spending and necessary investment that ensured smooth functioning of the administrative machinery.
The services secretary said that denying officers essential tools like operational vehicles would hinder their effectiveness and ultimately harm the public interest. He said the Punjab government had too purchased 184 double cabin vehicles for assistant commissioners with an allocation of Rs2.3 billion in the budget.
Sindh had not purchased vehicles for administrative officers during the last 10 years, the high court was informed. The SHC was requested to dismiss the petition and vacate the stay issued on the purchase of such vehicles.
It is pertinent to mention that the SHC had earlier suspended the provincial services department’s letter issued to the finance department with regard to the release of Rs1.991 billion for procuring 138 double cabin vehicles for assistant commissioners across the province.
The petitioner’s counsel, Usman Farooq, had submitted that an allocation of such huge funds for the procurement of heavy vehicles for assistant commissioners was unnecessary and arbitrary, and constituted a gross misuse of public funds.
He submitted that public functionaries were entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding and managing the public exchequer transparently and efficiently, as mandated by the Constitution and the use of nearly Rs2 billion from the provincial budget for the procurement of luxury vehicles for government officers, during a time of significant financial strain on the economy, amounted to a clear disregard for the public interest and fiduciary duties of the respondents.
The counsel submitted that such an extravagant expenditure did not serve any public purpose and was, therefore, in violation of the basic principle enshrined in the Article 5(2) of the Constitution that obligated all the citizens, including public officials, to obey the law.
The SHC was told that the public funds were being diverted towards the purchase of luxury vehicles, a decision that provided no tangible benefit to the citizens, particularly those living in impoverished areas where public services were desperately needed.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the provincial government’s fiscal responsibility must be guided by the pressing needs of its citizens, and the provision of essential services must be prioritized in the allocation of resources.
He said that Pakistan as a developing country was already struggling with an inadequate healthcare system, underfunded educational institutions and crumbling infrastructure, all of which required urgent financial support.
He submitted that by contrast, the purchase of 138 luxury vehicles for bureaucratic officers offered no public utility, and instead, added an unnecessary burden on an already strained public exchequer.
The counsel submitted that keeping in view the country’s financial situation which had significantly worsened over the last few years, with inflation rates skyrocketing to record highs, fiscal deficits widening, and foreign reserves shrinking, the public funds should be utilised with extreme caution and allocated towards projects that directly benefitted the people, such as improving healthcare facilities, upgrading education systems, creating employment opportunities and addressing infrastructure deficits.
The high court was requested to declare the letter issued by the services department as illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and of no legal effect and suspend the operation of the said notification restraining the government from proceeding with the procurement of vehicles as per the terms of the notification, till the final decision of the petition.