After the approval of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, the National Assembly on Monday gave nod to the amendments in the Pakistan Army Act 1952, seeking the increase of tenure of Service Chiefs to five years.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif tabled three bills seeking amendment in the Pakistan Army Act 1952, Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961, and Pakistan Air Force Act 1953 — extending the fixed tenure of service chiefs from three to five years.
The amendment in the above-mentioned Act stated that the retirement age and service limits prescribed for the service chiefs’ rank shall not apply to all three chiefs, during his tenure of appointment, reappointment, and/or extension.
“In the said Act, in section 8A, in sub-section (1), for the expression three (03) the word five (05) shall be substituted,” read the bill, which sailed today from the lower house despite the opposition fiercely protesting.
The bill — a copy of which is available with Azaad English — stated, “The purpose of these amendments is to make consistent the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, The Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961, and The Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953 with the maximum tenure of the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff and to make consequential amendments for uniformity in the aforementioned laws.”
Talking with journalists outside the Parliament House, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker and party chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said, they have no objection to the bill sailed to the lower house, seeking an extension of the tenure of Chief of Army Staff, and other service chiefs.
“There is an objection to the legislative procedure,” he alleged while criticising the government for not consulting before tabling the bill.
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Amendments in SC Practice and Procedure Ordinance
National Assembly on Monday approved the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, aimed at increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled the first bill in today’s session, seeking an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges from 17 to 34.
In his address, Tarrar said, “This amendment will increase the number of judges in the apex court up to 34, so that the backlog of cases can be cleared, and that after the 26th amendment, we can have judges to form the constitutional benches.”
