SHC bars govt from purchasing 138 double-cabin cars for bureaucrats

Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday stopped the government from buying 138 luxury double-cabin cars for the Assistant Commissioners across the province.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Amjad Ali Sehto, barred the authorities on the petition of Jamaat-e-Islami's provincial lawmaker Muhammad Farooq and others.

The petitioners’ counsel, Usman Farooq, said the Sindh government has decided to buy 138 double-cabin cars worth Rs2 billion for the bureaucrats.

He quoted the recently released report of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) that showed the inflation rate increased to over 28 percent, and “these vehicles will be bought from the tax money.”

"There are no facilities for health and education for the people in Sindh, tax money should be used for the welfare of the people," the lawyer added.

Farooq mentioned that the Double-Cabin cars for bureaucrats would not benefit the common people. 

The government was misusing the authority and exploiting the public’s tax money, he said.

The petitioners’ counsel requested the court to nullify the notification of Sept 3 until the final verdict.

Despite the Sindh government's claims of reducing expenditures under the austerity drive, it had approved the summary of purchasing 138 luxury double-cabin vehicles for assistant commissioners in the province.

The approval was granted by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah earlier this week.