CJ irked by unnecessary security provided to politicians

LAHORE: Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Saturday expressed his displeasure over provision of unnecessary security to different political personalities and ordered the authorities concerned to impound

vehicles from everyone, including government officials and departments which are in their possession without entitlement.

During the hearing, he remarked that security given to Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq and Zahid Hamid was justified to some extent but not in case of Rana Sanaullah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Anusha Rehman, Abid Sher Ali and Ahsan Iqbal’s son. “On the one hand, they abuse judiciary and on the other seek security,” he remarked. Addressing the IGP, the chief justice said, “You have provided security to those who abuse judiciary. I will not allow plundering national exchequer in the name of security. If they cannot arrange their security from their own resources, they should better seek financial help from Bait Ul Maal.”

He said he knew that police had given him security equal to Hamza Shehbaz and denied to provide security to the Supreme Court judges.

The chief justice was informed that 4,000 people had been provided security in Sindh, 1,400 in Balochistan and 701 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the chief justice expressed his annoyance over the report.

Presiding a hearing the matter related to luxury vehicles, Chief Justice Nisar also sought a report on vehicles under use by government officials by June 5 (Tuesday).

A counsel representing the dissolved government told the court that the former prime minister had approved the purchase of luxury cars. “It was on the former premier’s orders that these cars were then given to officials,” he added. The law officer pointed out that under the rules, the prime minister was empowered to allocate cars to ministers and officials beyond their entitlement.

To this, the chief justice remarked, “Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad must have approved the purchase, not the former premier himself.”

“Not a single car was given out on the signatures of the former premier. How did Fawad Hasan Fawad give out cars in place of the prime minister?” he asked. He further questioned as to why Abid Sher Ali was given a luxury car and sought a detailed report on the matter on Tuesday.

During the hearing, the Punjab chief secretary informed the court that the former Punjab government had taken back vehicles given to officials. The chief justice in response remarked, “We will not let those cars stand in garages and be ruined. They should be handed over to the caretaker government.”

He directed the Punjab chief secretary to recover the cars by Saturday evening and inform the registrar. “Action will be taken against board of governors of the companies which were given vehicles without entitlement,” Chief Justice Nisar added.

“Court orders should be adhered to fully,” he asserted while forming a commission to submit a report on the progress of the orders within two days. He also summoned Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Pasha along with the record of smuggled cars and said that he knew the FBR, Excise, Customs and Excise and Taxation officials used smuggled cars.