Musharraf ordered 35 bulletproof Mercedes from Japan to safeguard his ministers, bureaucrats

Former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf certainly put the safety of his ministers and bureaucrats on top of his priorities even if it cost the nation millions of rupees.

Islamabad, Nov.21 : Former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf certainly put the safety of his ministers and bureaucrats on top of his priorities even if it cost the nation millions of rupees.

During the autocratic rule, the then Prime Minister Shukat Aziz had finalised a deal of importing 35 bulletproof Mercedes from Japan.

Seven of those luxurious cars were purchased for a whopping 350 million rupees, and 28 other such vehicles were imported at a price much higher than its original cost.

According to sources, the cars, which were to be used by the President and the Prime Minister, were imported at such a time when the nation was already reeling under a devastating economic crisis.

"Once the vehicles were imported, to check the quality of these vehicles in the presence of Shaukat Aziz and Pervez Musharraf a security official was asked to fire at the windscreen of all seven Mercedes and the said official fired at the vehicles with the help of his Short Machine Gun (SMG)" The Nation quoted sources, as saying.

However, the 'quality check' of the imported vehicles damaged the windowpanes of the cars. fter that strange exercise all seven vehicles were distributed among the Ministers, sources added.

At present 13 of those Mercedes are in the use of the Presidency while the remaining 15 are being used by the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

When enquired about the issue, Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira admitted that he was using one of those high-end luxury cars.

Kaira said Musharraf himself was using one of those bulletproof vehicles during his regime.

Kaira, however, parried questions regarding the deal with a foreign car agency saying he was not aware about the exact number of cars imported.

ANI