President Asif Ali Zardari, on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has approved and signed the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) (Amendment) Order 2013, entitling the judges of the court to use two official cars.
According to the summary of the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Division, a full court meeting of the judges of the Supreme Court, under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was held on July 20, 2011 regarding the entitlement of two cars to the judges and audit objections in respect of maintaining large number of pool vehicles came under discussion.
In order to examine the issue, a committee – comprising Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Mian Saqib Nisar – was formed which recommended necessary amendments in paragraph 21 of the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privilege) Order, 1997.
Accordingly, the prime minister advised the president to approve and sign the 2013 order in exercise of powers conferred by the Fifth Schedule of the constitution.
According to the order, paragraph 21 in the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Order, 1997 (PO No 1997), shall be substituted by the following:
“21. Official Car:- (1) A judge shall be entitled to the use of two official cars maintained at government expenses, one at principal seat and one at provincial headquarters where he is transferred for duty, but shall have to bear the cost of petrol used in both the cars during a month in excess of an aggregate of six hundred liters:
Provided that the provision of the second car shall be met from the existing pool of the Supreme Court
Provided further that the second car shall not be available for purchase on depreciated value, or otherwise, on retirement of a judge
(2) The cars provided for the use of a judge shall be used by him until he retires, subject to their replacement earlier, either because of their having completed the specified number of years of service or distance to be covered or of their having become unserviceable in accordance with rules.”