ISLAMABAD, Aug 9 Millions were paid from treasury to attorneys who represented former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in cases against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry which eventually were decided in the latter's favour.

The National Assembly has been informed that Wasim Sajjad received a whopping Rs8.2 million, prime minister's former adviser Sharifuddin Pirzada Rs8 million, former law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha Rs6 million and former attorney-general Malik Qayyum got Rs4 million after Gen Musharraf filed a reference against Justice Iftikhar in the Supreme Judicial Council in March 2007.

The four failed in presenting the government's case against Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan who successfully defended Justice Iftikhar.

Mr Ahsan reportedly charged his client a nominal fee.

In response to a question, the assembly was informed that in total the government had paid Rs41.68 million to the lawyers appointed for pursuing government cases from January 2005 to July 2009.

About Rs2 million was also paid to lawyers as TA/DA.

Interestingly, four other cases not involving Justice Iftikhar cost the national exchequer only about Rs2 million. Other lawyers who received significant amount of money during the said period included Rana Shamim, who got Rs1.1 million; Khurram H. Hashmi, Rs1.15 million; Ahmed Raza Khan Qasuri, Rs1 million; and Raja Ibrahim Satti, Rs0.7 million.

There are three dozen lawyers who received more than one million rupees each.