Ex-PM's military secretary moves court over stuck-up pension.

ISLAMABAD -- Ex-military secretary to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who remained loyal to the elected government during the October 1999 coup, has been struggling to get his pension for over two decades.

Javed Iqbal Malik joined the army through 48th PMA long course and was commissioned in 14th Field Regiment Artillery on December 12, 1971 and retired as a brigadier.

He filed a petition with Lahore High Court seeking the release of his pension and other post-retirement benefits.

In the petition, Brig Malik contended that he served in the army for more than 30 years and was lastly posted as the military secretary to then prime minister in 1999.

'On October 12, 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf was removed from service by the federal government and replaced by General Ziauddin as the new chief of army staff, he refused to obey the orders of his removal and brought a military coup against the constitutionally elected prime minister,' the petition said.

Retired Col Inamur Rahim, the counsel for Brig Malik, contended before LHC Justice Jawad Hassan that the petitioner being the military secretary to then prime minister was also unlawfully arrested and detained for no fault.

The petitioner was illegally incarcerated for a long period of time without any legal proceedings against him.

Subsequently, an inquiry was conducted against the petitioner, headed by Lt Gen Hamid Javed. However, due to lack of any incriminating evidence, no charge was framed against him and the inquiry was dropped.

'In February 2001, after...