SC retracts notification summoning JUI-F leader in luxury vehicles case

Abdul Ghafoor, Kamran Michael were also summoned but have returned allotted vehicles

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday retracted an earlier notification summoning Jamiat Ulema-e-Ismal Fazl (JUI-F) Chairperson Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others for using luxury vehicles at the expense of the government.

The apex court resumed the hearing of the luxury vehicles case. Earlier, the court summoned JUI-F leaders including Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and former minister Kamran Michael for possessing the luxury vehicles.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Nayyar Rizvi told the bench that Kamran, Rehman have returned their cars. Likewise, Haideri will also be returning the vehicles.



During the previous hearing of the case, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had ordered all unverified cars being used by ministers and public employees to be confiscated.

Commenting on Fazl's use of a government bulletproof vehicle, Justice Nisar said the JUI-F leader is protected by many and will remain safe in the event of an attack on his person, and questioned why the JUI-F chief is using the people's money for his personal protection.

Counsel for the leader stated that Fazl has been targetted thrice, to which the chief justice replied that the JUI-F leader should arrange for his own security.

Justice Nisar also expressed his displeasure over former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif using a bulletproof vehicle after the end of tenure. The chief secretary of Punjab informed the court that Shehbaz faces security risks.

The chief justice also questioned the placement of barricades in the vicinity of Shehbaz's Model Town residence. He said the blockades have been placed at a spot designated as a children's park. The chief secretary replied that the area is now used as a parking space and the barricades have been removed.

The apex court also directed seven former ministers from Balochistan to return luxury vehicles being used beyond entitlement. Justice Nisar said those who do not return the vehicles will be fined Rs100,000 per day and the fine will be increased to Rs200,000 after a week.

The additional attorney general, in his reply to the chief justice, said that Balochistan has 56 luxury vehicles, out of which 49 have been recovered. He added that 105 vehicles have been recovered in the federal capital, and only three cars are still being used by Fazl, Micheal and Haideri.



Turning his attention to the status of luxury vehicles in Sindh, the chief justice demanded an explanation for vehicles in use by the provincial government.

The apex court was informed that PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father, former president Asif Ali Zardari, own their own bulletproof vehicles.

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 ministers and public servants.