Punjab HEC seeks approval to buy vehicles worth around Rs70 million

LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) has initiated a move to procure vehicles valued at about Rs70 million despite austerity measures announced by the provincial government.

According to a report by The Express Tribune, the commission has proposed the purchase of a luxury vehicle for its chairman as well as four cars for senior officials. The summary has been sent to the Punjab Finance Department for approval, but the nature and timing of the request have drawn scrutiny.

A senior official of the Punjab Higher Education Department said the move appeared to run counter to the province-wide austerity drive, under which departments were directed to reduce non-essential expenditure. The official said the policy covers limits on vehicle procurement, discretionary allowances and administrative luxuries.

Sources of The Express Tribune said the commission justified the proposed purchase on the basis of operational needs and mobility requirements. However, they added that government departments already have access to transport pools and shared mobility resources.

They said the commission had recently distributed honoraria to some employees amid allegations that payments worth millions of rupees were made without a transparent approval process.

Concerns over austerity and spending priorities

The proposed expenditure has also prompted concern among financial observers, who warned that approval of such spending could encourage similar requests from other departments, emphasising that austerity policies lose their meaning when exceptions are quietly entertained as it undermines not only fiscal discipline but also public confidence in governance.

The issue has surfaced at a time of rising inflation, budgetary pressure and growing demands on public services including education and healthcare. In that context, the allocation of millions of rupees for administrative vehicles has been questioned.

Education stakeholders have argued that available funds should instead be used to strengthen universities, support research and address student-related needs.

The matter now rests with the Punjab Finance Department, where the summary has been forwarded for consideration.