ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP): The Federal Cabinet Tuesday unanimously approved amendment in the Army Regulation 255 adding the provision “Extension in Tenure” of the Army Chief.
The cabinet also gave consent to moving the new summary for three-year extension in the services of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to President Dr Arif Alvi under the amended rules, withdrawing the earlier one, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood told a press conference here.
Flanked by Minster for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shehzad Akbar, Shafqat Mehmood said the decision to the effect had been taken to keep consistency in the policies on security matters in the wake of extraordinary circumstances in the country.
Briefing the media about the decisions made by the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said it was the prerogative of the prime minister to appoint the army chief for another three years term under Article 243 of the Constitution.
Lt. General (r) Asim Bajwa appointed as head of CPEC authority
It was not a new practice as General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiani had also been given extension in his tenure as army chief, he added.
Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid said during the cabinet meeting, Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem voluntarily resigned from his office to appear before the Supreme Court to plead the case for extension given to General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the prime minister accepted his resignation.
He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its all allied parties had unanimously supported the prime minister’s decision to give extension to Gen Bajwa.
Answering a query, Shehzad Ali Akbar said Farogh Naseem might rejoin his office after the case was decided by the Supreme Court.
