CJP Isa asks govt to auction 2 luxury vehicles allocated for him

• Punjab, fed govts informed of decision in letter sent by SC registrar.
• SC says all judges already have two vehicles as per rules.
• Says money collected from auction be spent on public transport.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on Friday ordered the auction of two luxury vehicles allocated for his use by the federal and Punjab governments, saying this is an “inappropriate splurge of scarce public resources”.

In a letter sent by the SC registrar to the federal government cabinet secretary and Punjab chief secretary, the bureaucrats were told that the apex court purchased a new Mercedes Benz, 2996 CC sedan for Rs61 million for the CJP in September 2020.

“A brand new bullet-proof Toyota Land Cruiser, Registration No LEG-S00, was also provided by the Government of Punjab for the use of the chief justice of Pakistan, which is parked in the Supreme Court Rest House in GOR, Lahore,” said the letter.

The letter stated that every judge of the apex court has been provided two vehicles as per rules.

“Justice Isa has not used the said Mercedes sedan nor the Toyota Land Cruiser,” said the letter. It further stated that it is an “inappropriate splurge of scarce public resources to buy imported luxury vehicles for the use of constitutional and public office holders”.

“Therefore, these vehicles may be collected and auctioned and the money realised from the sale be spent on much needed public transport,” said the letter.

Justice Isa took oath as the 29th CJP in September of this year after his predecessor Umar Ata Bandial hung up his robes.

Justice Isa's tenure as the country's chief justice, however, will be quite brief, as he is set to retire from the position on October 25, 2024.

He took oath as the apex court's judge on September 5, 2014.