Post-retirement security approved for ex-CJ

Security squad consisting rangers, police team to protect the retired justice

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Interior has approved the request of former chief justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed to provide him foolproof security amid threats to him and his family.

The ministry, in a statement, said that the retired Justice Gulzar Ahmed will continue to have the same security as he did while holding the chief justice of Pakistan's position. The retired chief justice will be given security squad consisting of rangers and police team

A letter written by the apex court’s registrar office on January 27 had sought foolproof security for the retiring judge, who doffed his robes on Feb 1, at home and during his travels. It stated that the judge was entitled to post-retirement security cover under Article 25 (1) of the Supreme Court Rules.

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Paragraph 25(1)(e) of the Supreme Court Judges (Leave Pension and Privileges) Order 1997 states: “At the residence of a retired judge during his lifetime, deployment of one security guard by the concerned police round the clock so that after every eight hours a new security guard replaces the former security guard.”

The request added that the lives of the former CJP and his family were in grave danger. In order to avoid any untoward incident, it was imperative that the former top judge and his family be provided security (rangers, police).

The federal government had also recommended the provision of a security cover jointly by the Sindh Rangers and provincial police to the former chief justice of Pakistan as he is expected to spend most of his time in Karachi.

The Jan 27 letter stated that the former CJP had given a number of high-profile verdicts in cases of public importance, including terrorism, extra-judicial killings, minorities issues, enforcement of fundamental rights, restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway, removal of encroachments and launching of criminal investigations against officials involved in misconduct.