ISLAMABAD, November 26: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday suspended a government’s notification regarding a three-year extension in the tenure of the country’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
General Bajwa was appointed as the Chief of the Army Staff in 2016 by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
General Bajwa was to retire on Nov. 29. However, Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved extension in Gen. Bajwa’s extension three months ahead of his retirement on Aug. 16, 2019.
The apex court also issued notices to the army chief, the defence minister and the attorney general for their replies. The court will hear the case on Wednesday.
An application was filed against Gen. Bajwa’s extension and a three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Asif Saeed Khosa heard the petition on Tuesday.
Petitioner Haneef Rahi of the Jurist Foundation wanted to withdraw his application but the court rejected his plea. Rahi did not appear before the court and an application was filed on his behalf to withdraw the application.
The chief justice, however, converted the petition into a “suo motu notice” in view of the public importance of the matter and issued notice to the army chief, making him party in the case.
The court also argued that the attorney general could not justify legal justification for the extension and the new appointment. The chief justice observed that the attorney general could not present any law that allows extension and reappointment.
Attorney General Mansoor Ali Khan submitted documents related to the extension and said the decision was taken in view of the “regional security environment.”
On this the chief justice said the logic of the regional security is vague and that the institution will deal with the security situation not an officer. He said if the notion of security is accepted then every officer will seek extension. – Agencies
