ISLAMABAD: The prime minister office has directed the interior ministry to make strict security arrangements for the chief justice of Pakistan and his family even after his retirement, it has been learnt.

A letter from the PM office stated that two members of Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani’s family had been kidnapped and efforts for their recovery yielded no positive results so far.

In this regard, the security of the chief justice and his family assumes additional importance, particularly after his retirement on July 5.

The letter, signed by PM office Additional Secretary Fawad Hasan, stated, “The prime minister is pleased to order that impeccable and foolproof arrangements of security of the chief justice shall be maintained, even after his retirement.”

The letter asked the ministry to make the security arrangements both in Lahore and Islamabad.

It is pertinent to mention that a close relative of CJ Jillani, who was an official of a security agency, was kidnapped from Multan on June 16.

And Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, also a close relative of the CJ, has been missing since May 9, last year.

Officials in the police said the family members of the kidnapped persons were yet to receive any ransom calls which showed that the motive behind the kidnapping was something else.

Under such circumstances, the other important members of the family needed necessary security arrangements.

“After their retirement, judges, including the CJs, get a single gunman according to the Blue Book which describes the judges as VIPs.”

Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was the first chief justice of Pakistan who enjoyed a security protocol even after his retirement and was later given a bulletproof vehicle, the official said, adding under the directions of PM, CJ Hussain would be provided with a bulletproof vehicle along with police escort vehicles.

A joint escort, comprising personnel from the Islamabad and Punjab police, will also provide security to CJ Hussain, they added.

Similar escort vehicles, with well-equipped police personnel, will be given for the security of the CJ’s family members, they said, adding that personnel of capital police would be deployed outside his residence in Islamabad, while Punjab police would perform duty at his house in Lahore.

The outgoing CJ took oath of his office in December last year after the retirement of Iftikhar Chaudhry.

During his career, he also led a five-member bench which acquitted Nawaz Sharif in the plane hijacking case on July 17, 2009.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2014