Extension of services chiefs’ tenure not good for country, armed forces: Omar.

ISLAMABAD  -  The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday strongly condemned the Shehbaz Sharif-led government’s rushed passage of six bills through the parliament by saying that the move merely reduced democracy to a monarchy by undermining the country’s democratic principles and constitutional rights.

Speaking outside the Parliament House, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan stated that the incumbent regime’s decision to extend the tenure of the services chiefs was neither good for the country nor for the armed forces. “The ruling coalition has bypassed opposition by denying us our legal and constitutional right to hold a debate over the (proposed) laws,” he added. He said extensions from three to five years would deprive officers of promotions.

The opposition leader said proposed amendments in the laws were aimed at pushing PTI and its allied parties against the wall. He warned that the same tweaks would be used against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) but at that time they would find no escape route. Speaking on the occasion, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan decried the passage of the bills and said: “Today, democracy has been reduced to a monarchy, making the parliament a rubber stamp, as parliament’s role was being obliterated, rendering our constitution and institutions meaningless.”

He emphasized that the opposition’s voice and presence in parliament were being systematically erased. However, he remained resolute, affirming that this “authoritarian grip” would not dictate Pakistan’s future. He stated that the people unequivocally rejected any legislation that paved the way for a monarchical system, undermining the country’s democratic principles. He added that unfortunately, the government rushed through this legislation without allowing meaningful debate or discussion, denying the opposition its right to participate in the democratic process.

The PTI chairman alleged that the incumbent government did not make a single legislation legally and constitutionally since it fraudulently seized power. He claimed that except the law minister, not a single federal minister would know anything about the content of the six bills hurriedly sailed through the National Assembly. Gohar went on to say that the government increased the number of judges of the Supreme Court from 17 to 34, while India with its massive population, had only 34 judges in its apex court. He added that our high courts have another 96 judges, which raised questions about the necessity of such a significant increase in the SC.

He argued that the 26th Constitutional Amendment was initially justified as a solution to the overwhelming pending cases in the apex court, but the current bills contradict this claim. He claimed that instead of strengthening the judicial system, the government wanted to appoint handpicked judges, compromising the judiciary’s integrity and making it subservient to the government. “The government is pushing the country towards destruction and ruin, as there is no justification for increasing the number of judges.” The PTI chairman made it clear that legislation without public backing was inherently wrong. The government should have facilitated a thorough debate on this issue, presenting the bills in both houses for exhaustive discussion, he added.

“Rushing through legislation without adequate debate is a blatant disregard for our constitutional rights and the democratic process, which we strongly condemn.”