Bulletproof vehicles case: Ministry submits reply

Company head’s counsel says no opportunity was provided to defend case

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry submitted para-wise comments on Monday in a case where a company has challenged a decision of restraining the business from bulletproofing vehicles.

The ministry’s official filed the reply before a single bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Auranzeb. While accepting the reply, the court adjourned the case till the end of summer vacations.

Meanwhile, the stay earlier granted in the case will continue.

On June 22, ministry officials had issued instructions to Karachi Additional Deputy Commissioner-II (Malir) Waseemuddin to suspend the NOC of the company and seal its premises.

The CEO of the Pak Armoring (Private) Ltd, Khurram Hamirani, through his counsel Malik Tahir Mehmood challenged the notification before the IHC saying the officials of the ministry were “inimical towards the petitioner’s company and due to the malafide attitude and illegal act” they issued the notification.

Apart from the officials of the interior ministry, he has made Waseemuddin a respondent in the case.

Though the company has not yet started functioning, restriction on the use of premises has been lifted following the court orders, Mehmood said.

He said that the interior ministry officials had informed the court that the company was providing services without the government’s permission.

In the petition, the petitioner’s counsel said that the government had granted permission for armouring of the vehicles in February 8, 2012, and since then the company had been doing business without having a single complaint against it at any forum.

Mehmood argued before the bench that no complaint was pending before the officials. He said that neither the officials issued any show cause notice nor conducted a formal inquiry before issuing instructions to seal the company. He added that no opportunity was provided to defend the case.

“The acts of the respondents are against the fundamental rights as well as the rights of trade and business as guaranteed by the Constitution,” the counsel stated in the petition.

Interestingly, Mehmood revealed that the interior ministry had issued a show-cause notice to the company after the writ petition was filed before the IHC.

He has prayed before the court to set aside the notification and direct the respondents not to seal the company.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2016.