Govt buys luxury cars despite flood ravages
By Bhagwandas
KARACHI, March 6: While the annual development budget of Sindh was slashed by almost half to meet the post-flood challenges, the Governor’s House in Karachi spent millions of rupees on expensive vehicles.
When a large number of internally displaced people were still in flood relief camps and need food, clothes and shelter, the Governor’s House spent Rs60 million on the vehicles. It is reported to be planning to buy a few more vehicles which may cost the taxpayer another tens of millions of rupees.
Sources said the Chief Minister’s House also did not lag far behind. Soon after the unprecedented floods had devastated many parts of the province, the CM’s House purchased tyres for a vehicle at an astronomical cost of Rs1.8 million.
The sources said the Governor’s House purchased a Mercedes Benz, S600 L (protected), for about Rs43 million. A letter written by the vehicle company’s authorised general distributor regarding the vehicle stated: “Bill to: Governor Sind, Attn, Military Secretary to Governor Sind, Governor House, Karachi, Pakistan.” About the vehicle and its price, the letter said: “Quantity 1, Stock # 00 867 00181, Description: Mercedes-Benz car S600 L (Protected), right hand drive, 197 Obsidian Black Metallic, Model 2010 ..... Order value as per contract Rs45,135,000; less 3.5 % WHT (to be deducted under Income Tax ord) Rs1,579,725; payment to be received Rs43,355,275; payment received Rs42,110,960, balance payment Rs1,444,315.” The sources said the Governor’s House purchased another expensive vehicle a couple of months later and submitted its bill just a few weeks ago. This time, they said, the vehicle chosen was BMW 5 security plus, which cost the taxpayer Rs18.95 million. And the Governor’s House, they said, wanted to get a few more vehicles for which the military secretary to the governor had written a letter (SOE(MSG)4(4)/2011/181 on Feb 18, 2011) to the finance secretary.
The military secretary’s letter on the subject “Request for drawal of money on pre-receipt bills” stated: “Please refer to your department letter No: U.O.F.D(B&E-IV)3(3) 2010 – 11 (Provl) Karachi dated Feb 7, 2010 through which the additional funds were provided for purchase of vehicles.
“It is evident that the high security vehicles are produced on demand by their manufacturers for which they need payment in advance. Therefore, it is requested that the necessary permission for purchase of three high security vehicles on presentation of pre-receipt bills may be accorded. Final bills will be submitted to the accountant general office on completion of transactions. An early action is requested,” said Col Abdul Jabbar in the letter.
Just a few weeks back, the sources said, the CM’s House spent over Rs1.8 million to purchase tyres for a BMW vehicle.
They said the CM’s House purchased a Mercedes Benz and a Land Cruiser at a total cost of over Rs58.63 million last year. The bullet-proof Mercedes Benz S600 L, Guard, right-hand drive, protection level B6/B7 cost the taxpayer Rs45.13 million and the Land Cruiser Prado 4.LVX A/T Rs13.5 million.
While the Sindh’s annual development programme of over Rs115 billion was slashed by almost half due to the damage the economy had suffered in the wake of the devastating floods, the provincial government spent huge funds on vehicles.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/07/govt-buys-luxury-cars-despite-flood-ravages.html
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‘Govt plans to buy more bulletproof vehicles’
KARACHI, March 7: The Sindh government is planning to purchase more bulletproof vehicles owing to “unrest situation in Karachi and frequent incidents of target killings”, says a statement issued on Monday.
Referring to a news item titled “Govt buys luxury cars despite flood ravages”, published in Dawn’s Monday issue, the statement issued by the Chief Minister’s House further said that the government “is in acute need of such set of vehicles”, though it did not mention how many more such expensive vehicles were to be bought from the public exchequer.
The statement says: “There is frequent visit of VVIPs, and for proper protocol and other needs more vehicles are required in pool of provincial government.”
Without referring to the purchase of tyres of a vehicle at over Rs1.8 million, the statement says the vehicle had been bought by former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and “has crossed the warranty limits of 30,000 miles, and the agency (Dewan Motors) which has supplied the vehicle, in their warranty letter, had pointed out necessary guidelines for damages or failures.”
The statement further says: “The vehicle Land Cruiser Prado 4.LVX A/I and other is not on the pool of the Chief Minister House.”
However, an order (SOB(SGA&CD)10-02/2009 of the Services, General Administration & Coordination Department) says: “In pursuance of Finance Department’s advice bearing No:FD(B&E-IV)3(3)/2009-10(Provl), dated March 27, 2010, sanction of Government of Sindh is hereby accorded to release an amount of Rs 58,635,000 on account of purchase of following vehicles for the use of Chief Minister Sindh, subject to fulfillment of codal formalities, during current fiscal year 2009-2010, details are as under. One bullet proof Mercedes Benz car S600L Guard, RHD, Protection Level B6/B7 cost Rs 45,135,000; one unit Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 4.LVX A/T cost Rs 13,500,000.”
The order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, clearly mentions that these vehicles are for the use of the chief minister of Sindh.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/08/govt-plans-to-buy-more-bulletproof-vehicles.html