ISLAMABAD: No former president has been provided bullet-proof vehicles and only three ex-premiers, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, have been provided such vehicles.
This was stated by Ziaul Haq, a joint secretary of the cabinet division, yesterday while informing the Islamabad High Court (IHC)about the details of bulletproof vehicles provided to retired government functionaries.
The court was hearing a petition which sought the provision of a bulletproof car for former Chief Justice (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
On January 9, the IHC sought details of all bulletproof vehicles provided to former presidents and prime ministers.
The cabinet division yesterday informed the court that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was bearing the maintenance cost of his official bulletproof vehicle which was provided on November 5, 2007.
Similarly, the caretaker government, on April 29, 2013, had provided two bulletproof vehicles to former premiers Gillani and Ashraf, and the government was bearing the cost of maintaining such vehicle. Justice Siddiqui of IHC then disposed off the petition directing the division to treat Chaudhry at par with the former prime ministers.
On 9 March 2007, Chaudhry was suspended by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Chaudhry was summoned to Army House and was asked to resign in the presence of five Army Generals, including heads of intelligence services. Chaudhry refused to resign so Musharraf decided to file a Presidential reference against Chaudhry for misconduct. INTERNEWS
