Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The upper house of the Parliament on Wednesday passed amendment bills concerning the tenures of services’ chiefs and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee.
Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak tabled amendments to the Pakistan Army Act 1952, Pakistan Air Force Act 1953 and Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961 after the legislative bills sailed through the National Assembly a day before.
The bills were proposed following Supreme Court’s verdict calling for giving a legal cover to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension through the Parliament within six months.
The bill was opposed by senators belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami, National Party and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party while Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz backed the PTI government’s move.
The new amendment states that the president, on the advice of the prime minister, can specify tenure and terms and conditions of the service of the army, naval and air staff, and the chairman of the joint chief of staff committee. This includes the grant of extension and re-appointments of the services chiefs. The amendment also fixes the age of the services chiefs at 64 years.
Most importantly, the amendment bill ensures that future extensions won’t be challenged before any court on any ground whatsoever.
The water-tight bill categorically states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law, or any order or judgment of any Court, the appointment, reappointment or extension of the Chief of the Army Staff, or the exercise of discretion by the appointing authority in this regard, shall not be called into question before any Court on any ground whatsoever.”
Similar wording has been used if the civilian leadership decides to give an extension to the CJCSC.
Prime minister’s aide Firdous Ashiq Awan said that by passing the tenure bills, political parties had “shown political maturity” and had “strengthened Pakistan and national interest”.
Speaking to the media after the Senate sitting concluded, Awan said that the “nationalhood, unity, national harmony” shown in the Upper House was proof that the nation unites whenever the country is faced with challenges.
She further said that the unity seen in the National Assembly yesterday was reflected in the Upper House. She expressed hope that political parties will work with the same “harmony and unity” while addressing other issues of national interest.
