Why was Shehbaz Sharif given a bullet proof car, asks CJP

ISLAMABAD: “Under which law former chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Shairf was given a bullet proof car?” Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar questioned, on Tuesday, while hearing the suo moto case against the utilization of luxury government vehicles by ministers beyond their entitlement.

Referring to Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Justice enquired about the law which allows the liberty to use bullet proof vehicles owing to security risks. He further ordered all the former provincial and federal ministers to return government vehicles by tonight.

“If government vehicles are not given back by tonight then rupees 0.1 million fine will be charged on daily basis and after a week, this fine will be doubled to 0.2 million per day,” CJP warned.

The apex court stated that government vehicles will not be allowed to use by anyone for election campaigns.

“Why Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman is spending nation’s money on his security? He has lots of his own money to easily cater to his needs of security,” Supreme Court observed. CJP also asked about the number of vehicles used by Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari.

The top court instructed to send the summary of revisiting the policy of allotting luxury vehicles and also ordered Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Tariq Bajwa to submit details of all the vehicles being dumped.

In previous hearing, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Nayyar Abbas Rizvi informed the court that outgoing prime minister permitted the use of luxury vehicle for higher officials due to security risks. On which, CJP asked for the records of approval given by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for using luxury vehicles owing to security risk.