August 20, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 17, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 19: The government has decided to provide security in accordane with protocol to former president Pervez Musharraf.

“We have received a request from the former president regarding security and we will provide him the best possible security according to the standard operating procedure,” Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik said on Tuesday.

He said the ex-president had demanded that one of his close aides, Col. Ilyas, should be made in-charge of his security. “The former president will be provided the kind of security he is demanding.”

Meanwhile, sources in the President House said Gen (retd) Musharraf’s security was enhanced after he had announced his resignation. Some of the employees, who work both at the President’s House in Islamabad and President’s Lodge in Rawalpindi, were not allowed to enter the lodge on Tuesday.

They said the area around the President’s Lodge was under the protection of military and police personnel.

At the same time, the security of the caretaker President Mohammedmian Soomro has been reduced. Meanwhile, Military Secretary to the President Maj-Gen Shafqaat has been replaced by Maj-Gen Akhtar.

Almost all intelligence and security personnel, who were earlier responsible for the former president’s security at the President’s House, have been moved to the President’s Lodge, the sources said.