ISLAMABAD: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday asked the cabinet division to provide details of all bulletproof vehicles provided to former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and other government officials.

In addition, the court directed the government to provide details of all personnel deputed for the security of these officials.

Justice Siddiqui passed these directions while hearing a petition which sough a bullet-proof car for former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The petition was filed by senior lawyer Ahsanuddin Sheikh.

The petitioner maintained that the government was providing security to a person who had abrogated the constitution as 1,100 security personnel had been deployed for his security.

Whereas the person who had strived for the supremacy of the constitution was being deprived of adequate security, he added.

He also argued that the former CJP had decided several sensitive cases against land grabbers and criminals due to which he was facing life threats and needed security.

On January 3, while hearing the petition, an IHC bench had ordered the government to provide a bulletproof car to the former CJP and also depute adequate security at his residence before January 8, 2014.

Justice Siddiqui had observed that: “If the former CJP [is] not provided with the bullet proof car, all the bullet proof cars from other government functionaries will also be taken back.”

Therefore on Thursday, during the hearing of the petition, the interior ministry informed the court that a bulletproof vehicle had been provided to Mr Chaudhry on Wednesday (January 8) for a period of three months.

A standing counsel of the federal government also submitted a notification in this regard.

According to the notification, the former CJP will be bearing the maintenance cost of the vehicle which had been provided to him for “official use” only.

At this, Justice Siddiqui remarked that the ministry should clear what it means by ‘official use’ as Mr Chaudhry had already retired.

He further remarked that the ministry should take the matter seriously as the former CJP faced serious life threats.

Justice Siddiqui also remarked that previously, the former CJP had been provided with a 1991-model damaged vehicle which had been delivered at his residence using a toe-chain.

“Ironically the president of a political party has been provided with the security of hundreds of armed personnel,” he further said.