CUSTOMS officials in Islamabad have seized a land cruiser owned by Federal Minister for Tourism Maulana Ataur Rehman, brother of chairman JUI(F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, on the ground that its Customs duty had not been paid. The driver, signaled to stop at a police checkpoint on Peshawar Road, could not present registration documents but revealed the name of the owner. Upon probing the matter, the Customs officials found that the vehicle was not only carrying a forged number plate, but its Customs duty, that ran into millions, had also not been paid. It is good to note that despite pressure they refused to release the land cruiser. This is a highly serious matter of irregularity involving no less a person than a federal minister. The government ought to initiate an inquiry into the sources of his income, assets, etc. It should be investigated whether the vehicle has been mentioned in his declared assets. Since its Customs duty had not been paid, it is quite likely that it might be one of the smuggled vehicles. In a poor country like Pakistan, people expect their leaders to avoid making a show of wealth and conduct themselves honestly. It is unbecoming of politicians, more particularly those belonging to a religious party like the JUI(F) who should be living in simplicity, to ride in luxury cars acquired through illegal means. One would have wished that Maulana Ataur Rehman had avoided doing something that could seriously tarnish his own and the party's image in society. Recently, a case of illegal transfer of official land to some members of the JUI(F) was reported in the media amid claims that the party was falling into corrupt practices. The cases of the vehicle and land transfer should be thoroughly inquired into and those found involved in illegal practices brought to book, without showing favours to anyone. That would go a long way in checking the tendency among influential people to break the law with impunity.