Dangerous job: Drug court judge seeks weapons licence

Says authorities failed to provide him with security despite repeated requests

ISLAMABAD: A federal judge has sought a weapons licence in the wake of security concerns.

Drug court judge Khan Raheel Akhtar Yousafzai has written to the Islamabad’s chief commissioner for the issuance of licences for a Kalashnikov, a shotgun, and a pistol after “the authorities failed to beef up security around him, despite repeated requests”.

The judge, who is serving as drug court chairman at the Federal Judicial Complex in Sector G-11/1, has said that a number of requests were made to different agencies for increased security, with no positive response. He said he has received many threats, but no action has been taken to address them.

He added that the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights has issued a letter to Interior Secretary Shahid Khan requesting that Khan provide Yousafzai with sufficient security. “A letter was also written to the inspector general of police, but in vain,” Yousafzai stated in another letter.

In May 2015, the judge wrote to the interior secretary saying that he had sent many requests to the top cop for the provision of an armed constable as a gunman, adding that it took five months to get a reply.

When the IG finally replied, it was with a note asking him to approach the interior ministry.

On February 9, Operations SSP Sajid Kiani claimed that the Islamabad Police were utilising all available resources to provide to judges and lawyers.

Addressing a ceremony held in connection with the security of Katcheri in Sector F-8, the SSP had said that effective arrangements have been put in place for the security of judges and lawyers.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2016.