ISLAMABAD Dec 13: Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has sought police escort and a bulletproof vehicle for security, claiming that he was under threat.

Sources in the interior ministry and the capital police told Dawn that a written request for the security of the former chief justice was received by the ministry from the registrar office of the apex court.

In response, the interior ministry informed the registrar office that though security came under its domain, it could not arrange the bulletproof vehicle because only the cabinet division was empowered to sanction it.

The ministry, however, forwarded the demand for the bulletproof vehicle to the cabinet division.

According to the law, former judges, including the chief justices, are entitled to only one gunman for security, the sources said.

Though serving judges fall in the category of VIP, after retirement they are not entitled to police escorts, guards at their residences and more than one gunman for security.

Justice Chaudhry, while in office, enjoyed a contingent of 40-50 security personnel who escorted him on seven vehicles or were deployed at his official residence in the Judicial Colony.

A police officer said two vehicles and 12 personnel were still with the former chief justice which will also be withdrawn in a month or two.

“He is entitled to a lone gunman as per law but is already having a group of 12 security personnel,” he added. Under such a circumstance, the demand for more security personnel is unjustified and a violation of the law, said the officer.