SC orders Nawaz, ex-ministers to surrender official vehicles

LAHORE: The Supreme Court has directed former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and all the former federal ministers, government officials and departments to return the vehicles in their possession without merit.

Additional vehicles used by the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah would be taken back as soon as the cabinet dissolves, Geo reports.

The directives were issued during Thursday's hearing of a suo motu case by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar at the Supreme Court's Lahore registry.

Additional Attorney General Nayyar Abbas presented the details 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 JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman had one 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 and ordered that vehicles possessed without merit should be impounded at 12am.

He also observed that action would be taken against the board of directors and they will be made to pay for vehicles acquired illegally.

The chief justice observed that the matter of vehicles possessed without merit could also be sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).