File photo of the Supreme Court. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended the March 14 interior ministry notification granting former interior minister Rehman Malik and his predecessors lifetime perks and privileges.
Hearing the suo motu notice case regarding the unlimited perks and privileges granted to two former prime ministers, all former interior ministers, Sindh chief minister and other senior officials by the outgoing government, the five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry sought a response from relevant authorities in this regard.
The bench observed that it failed to understand under which authority the protocol for former interior ministers had been extended. It noted that the March 14 notification had been issued without any lawful authority.
According to the notification, all former interior ministers, excluding those who were part of the caretaker cabinet or held office when the Constitution stood suspended, can benefit from certain services indefinitely. These services include protocol coverage by the Federal Investigation Agency for the interior ministers and their families at all airports in the country, and the services of a personal assistant, driver and orderly appointed by the National Database and Registration Authority.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the advocate on record (AOR) Raja Abdul Ghafoor appearing on Malik’s behalf stated that his client was facing severe threats from the Taliban, and as such needed the extra security.
The bench observed that, according to article 9 of the Constitution, the state’s responsibility was to secure the life and property of all of the country’s citizens without discrimination.
The court was also informed of the cost of extending the ‘unprecedented’ security protocol for former premiers Raja Pervez Ashraf and Yousaf Raza Gilani. According to the controller general of accounts, Rs272.51 million would have to be spent annually from the public exchequer to provide them the protocol.
Before adjourning the hearing till Thursday (today), the bench directed Attorney General Irfan Qadir to submit his comments on the matter.
Meanwhile, appearing before the court, Sindh Advocate General Fateh Malik submitted comments on the passage of two private bills in the Sindh Assembly on March 14 to grant lifetime monetary and other benefits to the outgoing chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker. Fateh maintained that the salaries and privileges of the chief minister and speaker fall within the domain of the provincial legislature, which was competent under article 142(c) of the Constitution.
Justice Azmat Saeed, however, observed that the passage of such bills did not close the chapter. Justice Chaudhry also questioned who would bear the burden for the lifetime perks granted to the chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker.
The counsel for the Sindh law ministry Khalid Javed Khan subsequently requested the bench to give some time for providing legal justifications for the Sindh Assembly legislation in this regard.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2013.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1726117332-0/Megan-Thee-Stallion-(1)1726117332-0-165x106.webp "article")
Hats off to Supreme Court and CJP for standing up for this hapless nation. The vultures and plunderers who had already drained the national ex chequers during there five years of merciless reign had rewarded themselves while departing.
What a shame !!! as if they had brought this nation from rags to riches. Those thieves and criminals responsible should be brought to the book and given exemplary punishments.
what about the security given to sharif family? who are not facing any threat from Taliban?