ISLAMABAD: The government is going to spend millions of rupees from national kitty on the construction of a security wall of the farmhouse inhabiting former president retired General Pervez Musharraf, official sources told Dawn.

“How can public money be spent for the security of the farmhouse when it is not an official building, nor the person residing there is holding any government office?” an official of the interior ministry on the condition of anonymity said.

The decision to construct security wall around farmhouse was taken in February by the interior ministry after receiving recommendation from police and other departments concerned.

Police can only arrange blocks and barbed wire for the security of a sensitive building, they added.

But former president is being provided security from the public money collected through taxes, they added.

Moreover, the former president is in Karachi and it is not clear whether he will return to Islamabad or fly to Dubai, particularly when he has been exempt from appearing in the court.

Under such circumstances, the construction of wall is like throwing millions of rupees away.

The construction of the wall around the farmhouse will ultimately reduce security check posts set up for the security of the former president.

As result the access of the people, mostly legislators and bureaucrats, to their resident would be made easier, the officials said, adding at present the people are unable to get smooth approach to there houses due to checkpoints and other security arrangements.

Besides, a street to the Chak Shahzad also remained closed during the presence of the former president there, the official said adding that under such circumstances the people had to take detour to enter the street.

The construction of wall will leave the street open for the residents of the area.

It will also reduce the police manpower deployed on Musharraf security from 198 personnel to 85, the officials said adding.

A senior police officer when contacted said that the police had recommended construction of the wall, as it will reduce the deployment there and the spared manpower would be detailed on other sensitive installation for security.

The people residing there facing hardship due to the security arrangements and the wall would reduce their miseries, he added.

The CDA is constructing the wall and will bear the expenses, he added. An official of the CDA said the wall was being constructed on the direction of the government keeping in view the threats to former president.

“We are following the direction no matter if Musharraf lives there or not,” he added.