Islamabad - A division bench of the Islamabad High Court Thursday suspended the single bench’s order against the possession of a bulletproof car by the former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The DB comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi and Justice Aamer Farooq conducted hearing of the Intra-Court Appeal (ICA) and suspended the single bench’s verdict wherein Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had dismissed a petition seeking retention of the bulletproof car for the former chief justice.

After suspending the verdict, the dual bench of IHC issued notices to the respondents and deferred the hearing for two weeks.

Though the judge-turned politician Iftikhar Chaudhary has not asked for security and bulletproof car, yet spokesperson for his newly-established political party Sheikh Ahsanuddin and another lawyer Taufiq Asif – in their personal capacity – remained engaged in the legal battle demanding a bulletproof car for him at the government expense.

In the verdict issued on March 9, Justice Kayani ruled that the retired judges can only get specified post-retirement benefits as mentioned in The Supreme Court Judges Leave, Pension and Privileges Order, 1999. The benefits include retaining an official driver or orderly after leaving the office and, as per an amendment in 2016, round-the-clock posting of a security guard at the residence of a retired judge during their lifetime.

The judgment added that Iftikhar Chaudhry was only allowed to keep one guard and one driver after the retirement but the former CJ had one head constable, two sub-inspectors, nine constables and two drivers with him still.

According to the IHC order, former CJPs including Chaudhry Abdul Hameed Dogar, Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Nasirul Mulk, Nawaz Abbasi and Tariq Pervaiz have been utilising benefits they are not entitled to.

“The former judges of the SC are only entitled to the privileges provided under the supra presidential Order of 1997, therefore, anything contrary to the said order has no legal effect and same could not be announced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan nor is anyone entitled to receive such benefits under the law,” wrote Justice Kayani.