The Supreme Court has cancelled the notification regarding provision of lifetime security to former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and former interior minister Rehman Malik.
The five-member Supreme Court bench – headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry – reviewed the suo motu case, during which Controller General Atif Usman told the court that “this lifetime security facility for these two VIPs will cost the government Rs 290,000,000 annually”.
The chief justice asked Malik to deliberate “what exact dangers were being faced by him, and why do only you require security?” reminding him that under Article 9, the state was responsible for protection of life and property of every citizen and not just VIPs.
Noting that this notification had been issued without reference to any rules and regulations, the court summoned the interior secretary during Thursday’s (today) hearing with all relevant records.