LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday summoned Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Pasha along with record of vehicles used by officials in the next hearing.
During the hearing at Supreme Court Lahore Registry, the chief justice said that he knows that officers of FBR, Excise, Customs and Taxation departments use smuggled cars.
“I know that FBR, excise and custom officials use these smuggled cars,” Justice Nisar said.
“And I can tell that prime minister has not given approval of this,” added the CJP.
Upon this, the chief justice was told the former principal secretary of the prime minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad, gave the approval for this.
Earlier, the Supreme Court Lahore Registry on Saturday ordered that all unverified cars being used by ministers and public employees be confiscated by evening today.
A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, and comprising of Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case of seizure of vehicles, being used beyond entitlement by politicians and government departments and expressed suspicion over the report gained from Balochistan.
A record of cars being used by ministers and public employees has also been demanded from the federal government by June 5 along with a formation of a commission to implement the court’s verdict.
“100 per cent implementation should be ensured on the court’s decision,” the bench declared while asking the commission to produce the implementation report in two days.
According to 1980 rules, the prime minister has the right to give cars bigger than their due right, but CJP told the court that the PM did not approve these cars.
“Show me one document relating to the approval of cars signed by the PM. Former principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad approved them,” he added.
When questioned in what capacity Abid Sher Ali was using a motorbike, the public prosecutor stated that he has returned the vehicle to the government.
“If cars will not be returned, they’ll have to come to court,” the CJP added.
On May 31, the bench, hearing a suo motu case pertaining to officials using luxury vehicles, also disallowed use of government-owned bulletproof vehicles during elections and directed authorities to withdraw such vehicles being used by Law Minister Punjab Rana Sanaullah and other lawmakers.
