ISLAMABAD - Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday directed the government to provide bulletproof vehicle and adequate security to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry till January 8.
While issuing these orders, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked that if the former CJP may not be provided with the bulletproof car, all the bulletproof cars from other government functionaries would also be taken back.
Justice Siddiqui issued these directions while hearing a petition seeking provision of security to the former CJP. During the hearing, the judge while addressing to the government officials observed, “It seems that the government is vindictive towards the former CJP.”
Justice Shaukat observed that bulletproof vehicle that was provided to the former CJP was out of order and it was taken to his residence by toe-chain. An additional secretary ministry of interior, joint secretary cabinet division and Inspector General (IG) Islamabad police appeared before the court. The single bench of IHC directed the respondents to provide bulletproof vehicle to the former CJP and also depute adequate security at his residence till next Wednesday. Justice Shaukat directed the joint secretary cabinet division to submit a notification before the court next date of hearing regarding provision of all the requisite security arrangements at the residence of the former CJP. Addressing to the additional secretary interior, Justice Siddiqui said, “You are telling us that 18 persons has been deputed for the security of the former CJP whereas the petitioner says that they are ranging from 04 to 06.” Justice Siddiqui further observed that the person who ridiculed the constitution has been provided with the security of 1,100 personnel while the person who upheld the constitution has not been given any preference.
Justice Siddiqui also dismissed the petition of a lawyer Riaz Hanif Rahi with a fine of Rs 100,000. Rahi Advocate had filed an application while praying to the court that the security to the former CJP may not be provided. “If it were done, then all the former CJPs of Pakistan would demand security in the same manner that would be an extra burden to the national exchequer,” he maintained in his petition.
Justice Siddiqui while hearing his plea observed why he did not question the security provided to the former chief of army staff (COAS) general (Retd) Pervez Musharraf. The court dismissed his petition with a fine for frivolous litigation. The applicant seeking provision of foolproof security to Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, former President Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din Advocate alongside incumbent President LHCBA Taufeeq Asif argued before the court that the government is providing security to a person who abrogated the constitution and as many as 1,100 security personnel have been deployed for his security. “Whereas the person who upheld Pakistan’s Constitution and served the country has provided with the security of only 04 persons,” he told the court.