The federal government has notified a senior police official serving of BS-18 as security officer for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in violation of Supreme Court of Pakistan's directives. A three-member bench of the apex court headed by former Chief Justice of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on April 17, 2013 had ordered the withdrawal of extraordinary security protocol and perks and privileges for former prime ministers Raja Pervez Ashraf and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.
During the hearing, the court had ruled that the state could provide additional security to certain individuals but providing lifetime security was not possible. Raja Pervez Ashraf on March 15, 2013 had issued an order extending unprecedented lifetime security protocol for three former prime ministers which included 150 constables, 4 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) and two Superintendents of Police (SP) to provide security to all former prime ministers.
A police official, on condition of anonymity, said the federal government may have issued the most recent notification keeping in view the orders issued by former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf; however this notification is in violation of orders of the Supreme Court and of the Blue Book's standard operating procedures (SOP) which stipulate that only the sitting prime minister and the president are entitled to the services of a BS-18 officer of the rank of SP.
According to the notification issued by Establishment Division on August 4: "Muhammad Zeshan Reza, a BS-18 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, presently posted as chief security officer (CSO) to the prime minister, has been transferred and posted as security officer to the former PM with immediate effect till further orders."
The official added that the police officers selected to head special squads to provide security to former prime ministers Ashraf and Gilani, following the directives of Raja Pervez Asharaf, had refused, terming the move unlawful. Another SP-ranked officer is reportedly already heading a force of 1,100 highly-trained personnel from Lahore police's security division at Sharif's Jati Umra residence in Raiwind.
He said that millions of rupees - from between Rs 300 to 350 million - would continue to be spent every year from the taxpayer's money on security arrangements for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
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