ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has instructed the interior ministry to provide regulations for the protection of former prime ministers in a case linked to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s request for security.
The former prime minister, who survived an assassination attempt in November and is still recovering, has been requesting security, particularly after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan’s statement, which the party viewed as a death threat.
Khan had previously approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) on March 7, before Sanaullah’s statement, requesting “foolproof security arrangements” and the authorisation to attend court proceedings via video link.
That same day, an Islamabad sessions court judge stated that providing security was the court’s responsibility and requested Khan’s counsel to notify him of any concerns they may have.
During the hearing on Thursday, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided, with Barrister Salman Safdar appearing as Khan’s counsel in place of Faisal Chaudhry due to his commitments at the Supreme Court.
The interior ministry’s representative and Additional Attorney General (AAG) Munawar Iqbal Duggal were also present.
At the outset of the hearing, Justice Farooq asked about the laws governing the security of a former prime minister. Duggal responded by mentioning that Section 17 pertains to the security of a prime minister.
The judge then inquired if security had been provided to Imran Khan yet. The AAG confirmed that a bulletproof vehicle had been given to Khan but said that security provision is a provincial matter following the 18th Amendment.
An interior ministry representative informed the court that security was being provided but the notification for its approval had yet to be issued. The official explained that the federal government is responsible for security in Islamabad, while the Punjab inspector general will handle it for Punjab.
The official claimed that “foolproof” security had been given to Khan while he was in Islamabad, prompting Justice Farooq to make a witty comment about “fools” and ask if security had indeed been provided.
Safdar mentioned the Wazirabad assassination attempt, and Justice Farooq directed the authorities to provide Khan with the security entitled to him by law. He ordered them to submit the regulations and laws regarding the provision of security to a former prime minister, emphasizing the need to review security in light of potential threats.
The judge said that everyone should have their legal rights and that the former prime minister deserves security commensurate with his status. An order will be issued after the submission of the rules, Justice Farooq added.
