Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has directed the interior secretary to ensure security arrangements for Pakistan’s former envoy to the US, Husain Haqqani during his stay in the country.
He made these remarks while presiding over a nine-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) hearing the Memogate case on Tuesday.
The CJP also issued directives that the court should be informed about the security arrangements two weeks before the next hearing of the case.
Interior Secretary Khawaja Siddique appeared on court’s orders. He said, “Hussain Haqqani should tell us what type of security concerns he has.” Asma Jahangir, counsel for Haqqani, argued that her client had apprehensions with respect to his arrival in Pakistan therefore he was hesitant to come to Pakistan. “He can come to Pakistan if the government provides him full protection,” she said.
The CJP said it was binding on the state under Article 9 of the constitution to ensure security of all citizens.
He directed Asma to file a written application on the threats being faced by Haqqani and later inform the interior secretary and the SC registrar about these security concerns. Asma said she would inform the interior secretary in writing what threats Haqqani was facing, however, she made it clear that as to why Haqqani was staying in the Prime Minister’s House when he was present in Pakistan and why the interior secretary was saving him from the intelligence agencies. Asma said she would give an application to the interior secretary and write therein that Haqqani be saved from the MI and ISI. The CJP reminded Asma that her client had promised and he should return to the country to keep it. The court adjourned the proceedings until January.
SC orders security for Husain Haqqani
