Islamabad - The government on Wednesday prepared a fresh summary of notification to grant Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa extension in his service tenure in the light of Supreme Court’s objections.
According to informed sources, the summary was prepared in an emergency session under Prime Minister Imran Khan where the Army Chief was himself present, besides the senior cabinet members, legal team and former law minister Farogh Naseem.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Planning Minister Asad Umar among other PTI leaders attended the meeting.
Sources said that consultation was held over court hearing on the issue of army chief’s extension and the questions raised by the apex court on Wednesday were discussed in the meeting. They said the legal team helped in making the new summary and even the army chief was consulted over it.
In the new summary, the word ‘appointment’ has been replaced with ‘extension’, keeping in view the objection by the apex court regarding the procedural flaws observed by the apex court in the previous two notifications.
Sources said the cabinet members expressed their confidence in the incumbent army chief and showed resolve to back the continuity of his service.
Later at night some TV channels reported that the new summary had been sent to the cabinet members through special messages to solicit their opinion on it.
A day ago, a meeting of the federal cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Imran had approved the summary for extension in service of General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The prime minister had called an emergency meeting of the cabinet for the second time on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran has convened the PTI parliamentary party’s meeting at 6pm on Thursday. “Political, economic and security situation will be discussed at the meeting,” said sources. All parliamentarians have been asked to ensure their presence at the meeting.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the case pertaining to the extension/reappointment in incumbent army chief’s tenure until Thursday (today).
The three-year term of Gen Bajwa, who is reaching the age of superannuation (60 years) next year, as Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) is ending on Thursday at midnight. He will be able to continue his service if the SC decides the case in his favour before Nov 29.
In an unanticipated development on Tuesday, CJP Khosa had suspended the federal government’s notification of Gen Bajwa’s extension and issued notices to the army chief, defence ministry and the federal government.
The Supreme Court said the AG could not refer to any provision in any legal instrument regarding extension in service of the army chief upon completion of his first term for his reappointment.
Shortly after the extension order was struck down by the top court, the cabinet amended Section 255 of the Army Rules and Regulations (ARR) and included the words “extension in tenure” to end the legal lacuna in the rule.
It also emerged that the federal cabinet in its two sittings, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Dr Arif Alvi approved a fresh notification for the extension of the COAS.