The Sindh Finance Department has released Rs526 million to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) for the purchase of new luxury vehicles for the commissioners and deputy commissioners (DCs) of six divisions.
According to a news report, the funds will be used to acquire 35 vehicles, which include six Toyota Fortuner diesel models and 29 Toyota Hilux Rocco pickups.
The six Fortuners, each valued at approximately Rs18 million, will be assigned to the commissioners of the six divisions of Sindh, including Karachi.
Meanwhile, the 29 Hilux Roccos, each costing around Rs14.4 million, will be provided to the DCs of the 30 districts across the province, except for the newly established district of Keamari, which has already received a vehicle.
This decision follows approval from the Sindh cabinet in January of this year and comes ahead of the presentation of the new fiscal year’s budget.
However, the allocation of funds has raised concerns due to the purchase of luxury vehicles amidst calls for austerity, with critics questioning the appropriateness of such an expense for government officials.
In response to the criticism, the Sindh government has defended its decision, arguing that the purchase of these vehicles is necessary for the effective performance of officials’ duties. The government emphasised that the funds for this procurement were included in the current fiscal year’s budget.
This comes after the earlier sanctioning of 138 double-cabin vehicles for assistant commissioners, which also faced public scrutiny.
