LAHORE: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has yet to make up its mind whether to file a review in the apex court or legislate on the extension of service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on the other hand, has questioned the seriousness of the government with regard to the legislation on the COAS extension, saying the government has yet to contact the party on the issue. The party, however, says it will take the “right decision in the national interest.”
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Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry told media on Wednesday that, “The question of contacting the opposition will arise when the government decides to go for legislation on the extension of the army chief. At the moment, the government is pondering whether to file a review in the Supreme Court or do legislation in the parliament in this respect.”
He said the federal law ministry was looking into this matter and the government would soon arrive at a decision in this regard.
The Supreme Court, a month ago, had allowed extension/reappointment of Gen Bajwa for another six months and asked the government to determine the tenure, terms and conditions of the service of the army chief through legislation within the period.
While talking to the reporters, PML-N senior leader and former speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said: “The PTI government has not yet contacted us regarding legislation on the extension of the army chief.”
“With regard to the extension of the army chief, PML-N will make the right decision in the greater national interest,” PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said and warned the ruling PTI to stop giving the impression that the national institutions belonged to it.
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“The Imran Khan government should not act as if it is the only deciding power in the matter of the extension of the army chief,” Ms Aurangzeb said and added, “Musharraf’s cabinet and rented spokespersons” should mind their language and refrain from making national institutions controversial by issuing naive statements.
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