Pakistan Army Chief gets 6 month extension foiling enemies plots

Pakistan Army Chief gets 6 month extension foiling enemies’ plots who sought his retirement.

Pakistan Army Chief gets 6 month extension

The Supreme Court on Thursday in its short order announced that Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa will remain the Chief of Army Staff for another six months.

During that period parliament will legislate on the extension/reappointment of an army chief, SC said.

Conspiracy fails

Impression had it many countries sought to prevent his extension. Particularly, India, Israel, Saudi monarchy, US had, some say, had not liked General Bajwa’s extension as COAS.

The activists and lobbies of those countries had waged a war of propaganda against his extension hurling blames at him.

However, the apex court’s order frustrated all such lobbies.

SC verdict for COAS Bajwa

A three-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Mian Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah — announced the much-anticipated verdict.

However, they gave judgment after government assured that parliament would pass legislation within six months.

The apex court orders

The verdict was announced around 3:45pm, prior to which the court had asked the government to submit the following:

an undertaking that the parliament will pass legislation in this regard within six months.
The amendments to the notification included the elimination of the mention of the Supreme Court, mention of duration of the army chief’s tenure, the description of army chief’s salary and incentives.

Amazingly, the top court’s ruling comes in the nick of time as Gen Bajwa was set to retire at midnight.

PM Khan notified but SC objects

Prime Minister Imran Khan had extended Bajwa’s tenure through a notification in August. But the top court suspended it on November 26 due to irregularities in the manner of extension.