In an emergency federal cabinet meeting arranged after the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) suspended the extension of the chief of army staff, Law Minister Farogh Naseem resigned from his office.

The news was confirmed by the railway minister, Sheikh Rashid, who said that the prime minister had also accepted Naseem's resignation.

"Let me tell you that Farogh Naseem has resigned voluntarily," said Special Assistant to the PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar. "He will present himself before the court tomorrow with the attorney general and represent the government's stance on General Bajwa's extension," he added. 

As a federal government minister, Naseem could not have argued the case for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Bajwa. Rejecting assumptions that Naseem was being forced to resign, as many have claimed the minister came under fire for failing to uphold proper procedural laws in acquiring the extension for COAS Bajwa, Minister Rashid said that Naseem's "hard work and capabilities" were appreciated by the rest of the cabinet.

Once the case ended, Naseem could very well return to his position as the law minister according to Minister Rashid.

Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa announced that the SC had decided to suspend the extension notice of General Bajwa early on Tuesday morning. Although citing procedural issues in the application for extension and the way it had been accepted, the order from the court also said that the extension "would remain suspended", and questioned the legal justification for granting the chief of military another term in office. 

The legal proceedings pertaining to the suspension will be held tomorrow on Wednesday.