KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed its staff, judicial officers and lawyers to remove unauthorised green registration plates, official emblems and other symbols associated with government and judicial authorities from their private vehicles within seven days.
The high court issued a circular on the instructions of Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, ordering the removal of green registration plates, monograms, official SHC emblems, logos, seals, stickers, badges, flags, inscriptions, blue lights, beacons, revolving lights, flashers and designation signs.
The directive also covers counterfeit government or AFR number plates, concealed registration numbers and any other unauthorised devices, symbols or accessories that create a false impression of official privilege.
However, vehicles falling within the ambit of Rule 76(1) of the Sindh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Rules, 2017, have been exempted from the directive.
The circular warned that such unauthorised displays posed a serious security risk and created a misleading impression of official authority and privilege.
It further stated that failure to comply with the directive within seven days would result in the vehicles being denied entry to the Sindh High Court, City Courts and District and Sessions Courts across the province.
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Police authorities would also initiate legal action against the owners of vehicles found violating the relevant laws.
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Earlier, social media activists had drawn the attention of the SHC chief justice to what they described as widespread vehicular lawlessness, compromised policing and a judicial system that was allegedly allowing violations to continue within the premises of the high court.
The activists pointed to the growing number of vehicles allegedly impersonating official High Court or police vehicles, many of which reportedly displayed fake government or AFR registration plates.
They also highlighted instances of vehicle owners concealing their registration numbers behind large plaques bearing designations such as “Advocate, Sindh High Court”.
The activists argued that the unauthorised use of official-looking number plates, insignia and other accessories undermined the rule of law and raised serious security concerns.
