LAHORE Opposition legislator Amer Sultan Cheema raised question over provision of official residence to retired Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, saying it was a sheer violation of law on the part of the Punjab Chief Minister and the House should be informed about the circumstances and reasons behind this illegal act. Through an adjournment motion at the Punjab Assembly floor on Friday, Cheema requested Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal to give permission for open discussion on violation of rules while allotting 3-Tolinton Lane GOR-1 residence to retired CJ LHC Khawaja Muhammad Sharif. Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that the Punjab CM used his discretionary powers and as such there was no violation of rules. We always respect the law. Though no officer can hold possession of official residence six months after his retirement, Punjab Chief Minister has some discretionary powers that could be used in a special case in larger public interest. According to intelligence agencies reports, life of Justice (R) Khawaja Muhammad Sharif was in danger while he was also receiving threats. Punjab CM made his decision in the light of the intelligence agencies reports. Justice Khawaja Sharif made judgments in cases of sensitive nature and it was necessary to ensure his security, Rana Sanaullah said. He said that there was precedence of allotting government residences to officers after their retirement. Quoting the example of former Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, the law minister said that the previous regime accommodated the close friend of Pervaiz Musharraf. He said that the former CS stayed at his official residence for over three years after his retirement. Quoting another example, he said that the previous regime allotted a residence out of turn to retired DIG Javaid Shah. However, he requested the chair to pend the adjournment motion till next week to enable him to get a detailed reply from the quarters concerned. Speaker pended the adjournment motion. Meanwhile, adjournment motions moved by Engineer Shahzad Elahi, Khadija Umar, Tahir Iqbal, Seemal Kamran and Samia Amjad were also pended till the next week on the request of the law minister. The chair, however, disposed of the adjournment motions moved by leader of the opposition Ch Zaheer-ud-Din, Khawaja Muhammad Islam, Samina Khawar Hayat, Qamar Amir Chaudhary and Ejaz Ahmad Kahloo due to their absence from the house.