LAHORE(National times)- Justice Amjad Rafiq of the Lahore High Court has issued a landmark ruling, declaring the District Intelligence Committee’s (DIC) decision to deny security to a citizen as null and void. Justice Amjad Rafiq released a 10-page written judgment on the petition filed by citizen Saif Ali, stating that the DIC’s report holds merely recommendatory value, while the final authority rests with the police. The court observed that the police are fully empowered to provide protection to any citizen facing threats to life. Under the Constitution, the protection of life is not conditional—the state must take all possible measures to safeguard its citizens at any cost. Citing a verse from the Holy Quran, the court wrote: “Whoever saves one life, it is as if he has saved all of humanity.” According to the petitioner, he is the star witness in the murder case of his sister and brother-in-law and has been receiving continuous death threats from the victim’s relatives. Police had advised the petitioner to limit his movements, while the Inspector General of Punjab reported that the DIC had suggested the petitioner hire two private security guards. The court noted that under the Home Department Policy 2018, there are 16 categories of police protection—covering the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, bureaucrats, and other key figures. However, as per policy, the IG Police may grant police protection to any citizen for up to 30 days based on credible intelligence reports. The judgment further stated that the Police Order 2002 clearly outlines the duty of police to protect the lives and property of citizens. Similarly, under the Punjab Witness Protection Act 2018, witnesses in FIR cases can be provided security. Protecting a citizen’s life, the court emphasized, is a constitutional, legal, and moral obligation. Declaring the DIC’s decision to deny police protection unjustified, the court ruled that any citizen facing life threats has the right to police security. Finally, the court set aside the DIC’s decision and directed the IG Punjab to provide immediate police protection to the petitioner.