ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Ombudsman of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has taken strict notice of four assembly members not returning government vehicles obtained in violation of rules and ordered the recovery of these vehicles through the police.
A letter from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Ombudsman Secretariat to the IG Azad Kashmir has stated that the Ombudsman has taken suo motu notice under Section 9(1) of the Ombudsman Act 14 of 1992 for recovery of the vehicles.
According to the letter, the notice indicates that government vehicles are in the illegal possession of various influential personalities.
Member of the Legislative Assembly Alam Sharif Butt has been illegally occupying Fortuner bearing registration number MDGA 038, while Fortuner bearing registration number MDDA 941 and Toyota Grande bearing registration number MDGD 555 is under illegal occupation of Kausar Taqdees Gilani.
Similarly, AJK Assembly member Javed Butt is using Fortuner bearing registration number MD GC 555 and Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim is using Prado bearing registration number MD GA 811 in violation of rules.
According to the letter, notices have also been served by the Services and General Administration Department for the return of these vehicles, however, these vehicles have not yet been returned to the Services Department (Central Transport Pool). The Ombudsman has expressed displeasure over this situation.
AJK Ombudsman
The Ombudsman, exercising the powers granted under Section 9(1) of Act 14 of 1992, has directed that the vehicles held illegally, be recovered from the concerned individuals through the police and deposited with the Services and General Administration Department (Central Transport Pool), and a compliance report be provided within one day.
It should be noted that these four assembly members were part of the cabinet of former Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq. More than two months have passed since Faisal Rathore’s tenure after the no-confidence motion failed, but these former ministers have not returned the government vehicles.
