Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed sought on Wednesday the federal government’s reply along with complete records to a petition filed by former president Rafiq Tarar for payment of pay and pension as a lawful former president of Pakistan and for declaring Pervez Musharraf an unlawful president.
Abid Hasan Minto had pleaded Tarar’s case and the court had issued initial notice to the federation and the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) for proceedings, but on Wednesday, Minto could not appear, and in his place, Malik Nawaz made arguments before the judge.
Tarar’s counsel said that the petitioner was entitled to salary from December 1, 2001, to September 8, 2009, with a raise of 85 percent on a par with the current salary payable to the chief justice of Pakistan along with arrears for the same period, which he had planned to be donated to welfare organisations. He prayed the court to declare that the petitioner was entitled to receiving pension from September 9, 2008 at rate of 85 percent of the salary.
He contended that Tarar continued as president till September 8, 2008, when Asif Ali Zardari assumed charge. He pleaded Tarar be given pension benefits also as former president by declaring Pervez Musharraf unlawful president who came after him by unlawful ways, overthrowing an elected government. After hearing arguments, the judge sought reply and record from the federal government until June 30.
