149 luxury vehicles retrieved from ex-cabinet members

In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the interim Sindh government has retrieved 149 luxury vehicles from former cabinet members and government officers, and parked them in the government transport pool to use as per the uniform policy framed by the federal government.

This was disclosed in the farewell caretaker cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Fazalur Rehamn on Monday at the CM House. All cabinet members, Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman, IG Sindh Amjad Javed Saleemi, P&D Chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to the CM Sohail Rajput, provincial secretaries and other officers were in attendance.

The meeting’s agenda was to discuss Suo Moto case No.11/2018 regarding the utilisation of luxury vehicles by ministers and other government officers beyond their entitlement.

The cabinet was informed that in pursuance of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the federal government in consultation with the provincial governments has evolved standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the use and disposal of luxury vehicles retrieved from ministers and senior officers.

As per the SOPs, luxury vehicles more than 10 years old and requiring major repair/maintenance may be disposed of through open auction after completing legal formalities; non-customs paid/tampered luxury vehicles, irrespective of their model, make and type be handed over to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for allocation to Ministries /Divisions/institutions as per FBR existing rules and if required disposal of the leftover vehicles be arranged through open auction as FBR policy.

Moreover, luxury vehicles retrieved by the federal government are to be included in the central pool of the cabinet for protocol duties of state guests/visiting foreign delegates, chairman senate, speakers of national assembly, chief justice of high courts and Supreme Court, governor and chief ministers during their visit to Islamabad; vehicles confiscated by the provincial governments may be allocated with the approval of the provincial cabinet or disposed of through auction in line with the procedure/mechanism formulated by the respective provincial governments, and luxury vehicles retrieved by the federal/provincial government are utilised by the federal/ respective provincial government with approval of the federal/provincial cabinet for protocol duties of President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of Supreme Court/high court, chairman Senate, Governors, Chief Ministers, Speakers of National and Provincial Assemblies and foreign dignitaries.

Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman with the approval of the caretaker chief minister proposed that all the retrieved luxury vehicles may be placed at the disposal of the respective Protocol wing of CM’s Secretariat/Governor Secretariat and Services, General Administration and Coordination Department for protocol purposes of dignitaries.

It was also proposed that all retrieved luxury vehicles of district administration may be placed at the disposal of the commissioners and deputy commissioners for protocol purposes and for usage on geographical/terrain considerations.

It was also proposed to the cabinet that the bullet-proof vehicles may be provided to the officials/public office holders after making proper assessment based on potential threat and security requirement through the Armoured Vehicles’ Entitlement Committee.

The cabinet approved all the proposals and requested the chief secretary to submit the same in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on August 6.

Peaceful election

CM Rehman presiding over a high-level meeting appreciated the efforts of all the concerned institutions for ensuring effective security arrangements that aided a peaceful election.

The chief minister said that conducting the general election was a gigantic task and thanked all the cabinet members and concerned officers for achieving the task. “I am proud to say that the election was conducted in a peaceful manner,” he said.

Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman said that the transportation of over 70,000 polling staff and meeting their requirements such as furniture, technical support and other facilities was a big challenge. “Had we not worked as a team it would have not been possible,” he said, lauding the leadership of the caretaker chief minister.