ISLAMABAD: The federal government has recommended provision of a security cover jointly by the Sindh Rangers and provincial police to the recently retired chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed since he is expected to spend most of his time in Karachi.

The suggestion came from the threat assessment committee of the interior ministry comprising senior police officials, representatives of the administration and intelligence agencies that met soon after the Supreme Court registrar’s office wrote a letter to the interior secretary seeking complete security for Justice Ahmed after his retirement, an interior ministry source told Dawn.

The committee was headed by a senior officer of the deputy inspector general rank from Islamabad police. It reviewed the registrar office’s letter and suggested that the Sindh Rangers and police should be asked to provide the desired security, and whenever the former chief justice travelled outside Sindh, the local security agencies, including the Rangers and police, should be deputed for his safety.

Ministry’s suggestion follows SC registrar’s letter seeking security as former chief justice gave verdicts in several high-profile cases

Days before reaching superannuation on Feb 1, the SC registrar’s office, with the approval of the then CJP, had issued a one-page letter to the interior secretary regarding continuation of the foolproof security and gunmen to Justice Ahmed after retirement.

The Jan 27 letter stated that the former CJP, who doffed his robes on Feb 1, had given a number of high-profile verdicts in cases of public importance, including terrorism, extra-judicial killings, minorities issues, enforcement of fundamental rights, restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway, removal of encroachments and launching of criminal investigations against officials involved in misconduct.

The letter had also cited paragraph 25(1)(e) of the Supreme Court Judges (Leave Pension and Privileges) Order 1997 that states: “At the residence of a retired judge during his lifetime, deployment of one security guard by the concerned police round the clock so that after every eight hours a new security guard replaces the former security guard.”

Keeping in view the nature of the office held by the former CJP and the important cases he decided, the letter further said his security and that of his family was at a very high risk. Therefore, to avoid any untoward incident, the government may take all possible measures to protect the life, liberty and honour of Justice Ahmed and his family after his retirement as per the constitutional mandate, and order continuation of the same foolproof police and Rangers security/escort/gunmen performing duties with the former CJP after retirement at his residence and during travel in the larger national and public interest, it added.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, a 49-member delegation of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, called on incumbent CJP Umar Ata Bandial on Friday at the Supreme Court as a part of their study tour.

Headed by Lt Col Hashim Iqbal Bajwa, the delegation also comprised course participants from the military bureaucracy of 20 friendly countries.

The CJP welcomed the delegation and gave them an overview of the 1973 Constitution and informed them about the trichotomy of power in Pakistan, the functions and importance of each organ of the state — legislature, executive, judiciary and media.

He also briefed the delegation on the judicial system, its functioning, roles and dispensation of justice and constitutional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, high courts and district courts. He explained that the apex court possessed special jurisdiction of judicial review to examine certain acts of the legislative and executive organs of the state based on the criterion provided in the Constitution.

Justice Bandial also informed the delegation about the fundamental rights enunciated in the Constitution and explained that the armed forces in Pakistan played a very important role and were held in high esteem. The armed forces are also regulated under certain constitutional provisions and are called to act in aid of civilian democratic institutions under special circumstances such as floods, earthquakes, etc, the CJP said. He also highlighted the 25th Amendment that ensured rule of law in the newly merged tribal areas.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2022