Army Chief’s tenure extension

Prime Minister Imran Khan summoned an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet for the second time in the day. The circumstances were rather unusual. The Supreme Court made the bombshell announcement suspending the government’s notification for extension in the tenure of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The brief notification about a three-year extension in the army chief’s tenure was issued on August 19. Days before it was supposed to go into effect, it faced several legal loopholes. Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa, who is also retiring next month, said the summary and approval of the army’s chief extension was not correct.

The top judge observed that the cabinet approval was required before the notification was signed by the prime minister and that only the president can approve the army chief’s extension. It was also observed that only eleven of the 25 cabinet members had given their approval. Moreover, the matter had not been discussed in parliament and the reasons for reappointment of the army chief seemed quite vague.

The cabinet emergency huddle immediately approved a new summary for the army chief’s extension. The government maintains that it is the prerogative of the prime minister to appoint the services chief and issue an extension in their tenure. The army chief’s tenure was extended due to the unusual war-like situation in the country as India had launched an offensive along border areas. The tension along the Line of Control, curfew in occupied Kashmir, and risk of false flag operations were also cited as unusual developments.

It seems that the suspension of the notification was on legal grounds. There was one major casualty of the government’s blunder: Law Minister Farogh Naseem. It was Naseem who had advised the cabinet and then issued the notification without following the standard procedures. The government maintains that Naseem voluntarily stepped down and will instead represent the army chief in the Supreme Court.

The matter should be resolved soon or the country may be without an army chief. The government should not handle such issues lightly as it could risk national security. Least of all there should be no clash between institutions.