Bulletproof car case: Ex-CJP still faces life threats, lawyers argue

Say appellants have not yet pointed out any flaw in single bench’s judgment

ISLAMABAD: Lawyers demanding bulletproof car for former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, argued before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday that he still faces life threats for giving rulings in several high-profile cases.

While referring to May 12, 2007, riots in Karachi, that claimed over 50 lives, the lawyers said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s attitude remained “aggressive and the former CJP was still under threat in connection with his visit to the restive city.”



Ahsanuddin along with Taufeeq Asif was arguing before a division bench comprising Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi and Justice Aamer Farooq in the former CJP’s bulletproof car.

“Former CJP is still under threat for his May 12, 2007, and decision in the famous Karachi law and order case,” Ahsanuddin said.

The lawyers were arguing before the bench in the government’s intra-court appeal (ICA) filed to reclaim the bulletproof car given to the ex-CJP. Apart from the Karachi law and order case, Ahsanuddin said that the former CJP heard missing persons and land mafia cases and he was still under threat.

While referring to an interview of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the lawyer said that the former Punjab Chief Minister had claimed that he had received a letter from the head of an intelligence agency to stop the convoy of former CJP near Jhelum and asked to attack it at Kharian if it moved ahead.

He said that terrorists had attacked the Islamabad district courts in 2007, minutes before the former CJP’s arrival.



Ahsanuddin said how the government could file an intra-court appeal to reclaim bulletproof car when security was provided to the ex-CJP on the recommendation of interior and defence ministries by the then prime minister.

Moreover, he said, the appellants have not yet pointed out any flaw in the single bench’s judgment.

The lawyers reiterated that it was not yet clear who actually gave the authority to file the ICA as it was filed by cabinet secretary while affidavit attached with it was filed by interior secretary.

In his arguments, Ahsanuddin said that it was not appropriate to say that the single bench did not hear the Federation or did not provide them any opportunity in the case.

He said the single bench had decided the case after hearing interior ministry. Besides, no one stopped the cabinet and law secretaries to present arguments during the proceedings.

In the ICA, the cabinet and law secretaries contended that they were not a party to the petition which led to the provision of a bulletproof car to the ex-top judge.

Following the arguments, the court adjourned the case until February 29.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th,  2016.