NA, Senate committee approve bills formalising tenures of services chiefs

The National Assembly and Senate Standing Committee on Defence  approved  amendments to  the Army Act 1952, Pakistan Air Force Act 1953 and Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961 with a view to formalising the tenures of services chiefs on Monday, Geo News reported.

Prime Minister Imran Khan was also present in the assembly when the bills were voted on.  He arrived at the assembly prior  to the start of the session.

The Senate Standing Committee on Defence approved the bills as well during an in-camera session. All three bills were approved with consensus during the meeting. 

Speaking to media, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said the bills will be approved by the Senate as well tomorrow (Wednesday). 

"The same parties are in the Senate that are in the National Assembly," he said. "The bills will be approved in the Senate with consensus as well."

As the proceedings began, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak requested the Pakistan Peoples Party to withdraw the amendments they had proposed to the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2020, Pakistan Air force (Amendment) Bill 2020 and Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill 2020 "keeping in mind the regional and political situation in the country".

Naveed Qamar of the PPP agreed to the minister's request and withdrew the proposed amendments “to send the message of unity”.

Voting commenced shortly thereafter, with Speaker Asad Qaiser asking legislators to express their assent or dissent with 'Ayes' and 'Nays'. The bills were voted on clause by clause.

Some opposition lawmakers, including MNAs from the Jamaat-e-Islami, and representatives from erstwhile Fata walked out in protest over the bills. They had earlier announced they would not be supporting the bill on principle. All major parties, however, lent their consent to it.

The lower house of parliament took up the bills after NA panel on defence on Monday had unanimously approved the three amendment bills.

After the National Assembly's approval and Senate standing committee's approval, the bills will now be voted on for approval at the Senate on Wednesday..

The bills would become acts of parliament once signed by the president.

The NA speaker adjourned the session till 4pm Wednesday as soon as the voting was completed.

SAPM Awan commends opposition for supporting govt on national cause

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, in a press talk outside the parliament, commended the opposition parties for supporting the government on a national cause.

“Today all the political parties, especially the PPP, showed that they could work together for the national cause,” said Awan.

“This parliament today buried the propaganda of Pakistan’s enemies and sent a message that we are united with our armed forces,” said the SAPM.

Parliamentary meetings

Prior to the NA session, all the major parties had convened meetings to prepare strategy for the legislation.

PM Imran had chaired a meeting of parliamentary party of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and allied parties. All the MNAs were directed to ensure their presence in the assembly during the ongoing session.

Meanwhile, federal ministers Pervez Khattak and Azam Swati met with the Pakistan Peoples Party leaders and requested them to help maintain a peaceful environment in the assembly during the prime minister's presence. 

According to sources, PML-N reiterated its earlier decision of supporting the bills as decided by the party leadership.

Former defence minister and senior PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said that the members are bound to follow the party policy.

Changes sought in law

The proposed amendments set the maximum age limit of the three services chiefs — chief of army staff, chief of air staff and chief of naval staff — at 64 years. If the bills get passed, the prime minister will have the power to extend the tenure of any service chief and the president will give his final nod to the extension or reappointment.

Under clause 8B of Army Act Amendment Bill, the president, on the advice of the prime minister, may “reappoint the Chief of the Army Staff for an additional tenure of three (03) years, on such terms and conditions, as may be determined by the president on the advice of the prime minister, in the national security interest or exigencies, from time to time”.

“Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law, or any order or judgement of any Court, the appointment, reappointment or extension of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), or the exercise of discretion by the appointing authority in this regard, shall not be called into question before any court on any ground whatsoever,” the bill states.

SC directs govt to legislate on COAS tenure

Back in November 2018, the Supreme Court had asked the government to legislate on an extension in the COAS's services within six months, allowing General Qamar Javed Bajwa to stay in office until then.

Prior to that, PM Imran in August had approved the extension in the COAS's services through an executive order. Former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa had in late November taken up a petition challenging the extension in service of the COAS, deeming it 'in the public interest'.

The court had subsequently suspended the notification of the extension in General Bajwa's tenure.

Last month, after the top court issued the detailed verdict in the case, the government had filed a review petition in the SC, pleading the court to form a larger bench to hear the case, and requesting it to keep the proceedings in-camera.

Side by side, it had launched the formalities to formulate a bill formalising the rules governing the army chief's extension and have it passed through parliament.