ISLAMABAD – In a major development in the country’s politcs, Pakistan’s ruling alliance is preparing to present a package of constitutional amendments, one of which seeks to establish a tenure term for Chief Justice while it is also proposing changes about civil-military leadership.
The contentious legislation was expected to be tabled in both the National Assembly and the Senate over the weekend, but it was delayed till Monday noon and was again postponed.
Amid widespread speculation regarding potential extensions for key officials like CJP and Chief of Army Staff, the government officially released draft of 26th Constitutional Amendment, offering clarity on these issues.
Amendment 47 directly addresses tenure of COAS and other chiefs. This amendment introduces new rules related to the appointment, re-appointment, and extension of service chiefs’ terms.
It adds a new clause that stated that the appointment, extension, or removal of military service chiefs will be subject to laws pertaining to the Armed Forces. Once approved, these provisions cannot be changed or repealed without separate constitutional amendment.
For the unversed, Article 243, which places the military under government control with the President, did not explicitly address re-appointment or extension of service chiefs. The new clause formalizes these processes, while noting that any extensions will still be governed by the Army Act.
‘Constitutional amendment package’: Deadlock and number game
