Freedom of information: Every citizen has right to know about govt spending says LHC

Court hears petition against purchase of cars, sniffer dogs for PM House.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday said every citizen had the right to learn the expenditure of the Prime Minister’s House.

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan said this while hearing a petition about the acquisition of bulletproof vehicles and sniffer dogs for the PM’s House.

Advocate Feroze Shah Gillani of Lawyers’ Foundation for Justice had moved the petition. The counsel for the federal government objected to the locus standi of the petitioner. He said the petitioner’s foundation was not a registered body and it had no right to question the expenditures of the PM’s House.

Justice Khan said being a Pakistani citizen, the petitioner had a right to the information.

The government’s counsel sought more time to file objections to the petition. The judge allowed the request and adjourned the hearing.

The petitioner earlier said Rs120 million was spent on purchasing bulletproof cars, while Rs2.4 million on buying sniffer dogs.

“Besides this, funds are being spent on the renovation and decoration of the PM’s House,” Gillani said.

The petitioner said an Islamic ruler was forbidden to use public funds for personal luxury and comfort.

“The country’s economy is in a recession but the rulers are spending huge amounts of public money to make their lives more luxurious,” Gilani said. He has requested the court to cancel the purchase of bulletproof vehicles and sniffer dogs for the PM’s House.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2014.