ISLAMABAD - The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in its parliamentary party meeting Thursday endorsed the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan of extending the tenure of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another term while showing their reservations over his legal team for its “poor handling” of the case.
Some lawmakers of the ruling party in the meeting that met at the Parliament House here showed their dissatisfaction over the legal team of Prime Minister Imran Khan for its “poor handling” of the extension/reappointment case of army chief that was being heard by the apex court for the last three days, the official sources informed.
The lawmakers also demanded an action against those bureaucrats who, what they said, caused an embarrassment for the government before the Supreme Court because of their poor drafting of the official summaries concerning the extension of the army chief.
A meeting of the parliamentary party of PTI and its allied parties was held under the chair of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said a brief official statement issued by the PTI.
In the statement, PTI said that Qureshi informed the lawmakers of PTI and its allied parties about the “steps taken by the prime minister” regarding case of army chief’s extension.
Endorse PM’s decision on Army Chief’s extension
“PTI and its allied parties appreciated the steps taken by the PM and showed their solidarity and support with the government,” it said adding that they showed their full confidence on the leadership of the PM and its decisions.
“The government’s whole legal team has proved itself inefficient,” a lawmaker of the ruling party was quoted as saying in the meeting by the official sources. He added that the legal team and the bureaucrats concerned who drafted flawed summaries regarding the extension/appointment should be held accountable. The legal team brought the institutions to the brink of clash like situation, said another lawmaker
Prime Minister Imran Khan had to chair the important meeting that was specially summoned to discuss the crisis arising out of the legal questions raised by the Supreme Court about the extension/reappointment of COAS for another term by the government. The first three-year term of the army chief expired on November 28.
Though, the ruling party had strictly directed its lawmakers to ensure their presence in the meeting, yet Prime Minister Imran Khan did not make his presence in the meeting causing uneasiness among them. Just a few minutes before the meeting started, the PM addressed an
envoys conference at the Foreign Office.
During the meeting, some lawmakers showed their disquiet about the absence of the PM and said that they travelled from far off areas to hear the PM on the political situation in the aftermaths of the SC’s decision allowing the government to legislate the matter of extension/reappointment of army chief in the parliament within six months.
A lawmaker said that it was very disappointing that PM did not turn up in the meeting while he was in the Foreign Office.
However, a TV channel quoting the Chief Whip of PTI in the National Assembly Amir Dogar said that lawmakers in the meeting only raised their objections about the non-release of development funds. For this purpose another meeting of the parliamentary party had been summoned for next Monday, he added.