Relaxation from ban on new vehicles sought

According to The Express Tribune, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rejected a request to buy 65 bulletproof vehicles for visiting heads of state attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit next September. He approved 45 vehicles instead, and the government decided to relax its ban on purchasing new vehicles imposed under austerity measures.

The Economic Coordination Committee allowed Rs3 billion for 15 more BMW 760i xDrive bulletproof sedans, on top of a Rs6.60 billion grant for 30 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680 Guard vehicles. It also directed the Cabinet Division to prepare a case for exemption from customs, sales tax and federal excise duties. The Cabinet Division said 30 vehicles would not be enough against the requirement of 65, given the summit's high-level security protocols.

The Cabinet Division had earlier sought Rs12.61 billion for bulletproof and soft-skin vehicles, and ECC members stressed the need for top-standard vehicles amid internal and external threats. The summit was described as a historic occasion for Pakistan to showcase its international standing, while bulletproof vehicles would take considerable time to manufacture, particularly right-hand drive models.