On Friday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) halted the provincial government’s plan to purchase 138 double-cabin vehicles for four weeks. This decision came through a panel comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, addressing a petition against the procurement request involving nearly Rs 2 billion.
Notices have been sent to the Sindh chief secretary, finance secretary, and other relevant officials, with a follow-up hearing scheduled after four weeks.
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) MPA Mohammad Farooq and two others initiated the challenge, disputing a finance department letter authorizing the vehicle purchases.
Represented by Advocate Usman Farooq, the petitioners argued that Sindh’s flat terrain did not warrant such expensive vehicles, deeming the purchase a misuse of funds amid the province’s budgetary constraints.
At the preliminary hearing, the bench ordered that no actions be taken based on the September 3 letter until the next hearing.
The petitioners criticized the allocation as unnecessary and extravagant, especially given the province’s economic difficulties. They highlighted the urgent need for financial resources in the health, education, and infrastructure sectors.
