ISLAMABAD: PLMN led coalition government reportedly agreed to amend the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 so that the country’s chief executive officer could grant an extension by inserting the word “retention” to specific senior army official(s), but they rejected the proposed amendment that would have allowed him to ask for the top military leadership’s resignation.
According to current regulations, the chief of army staff has the authority to grant Lieutenant Generals a one-year extension in their employment, request the resignation of any official, and submit his own resignation—though this latter action may result in the loss of benefits such as benefits and pensions.
The government has suggested inserting “retention” after “reappointment” in the law’s existing wording and inserting “resignation” after “release” in accordance with the proposed adjustment to Section 176, titled “Power to make rules,” subsection (2-a), in clause (a) of the PAA.
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In the capital, there is widespread belief that the institution is behind the effort to change the Army Act since it would allow the government to retain the services of an officer while yet providing him the opportunity to quit at any time.
Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, has taken the initiative in trying to reach agreement on these revisions. On Thursday, he met with Asif Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss a potential candidate for the position of future army chief, and on Friday, he met with President Alvi.
As per media reports, the deliberations on the proposed amendments to the Pakistan Army Act are underway and the draft is yet to be finalized.
The leading candidates to succeed General Qamar Javed Bajwa are Lt Gen Asim Munir, the army’s quartermaster general and a former head of the ISI, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad, the commander of the Rawalpindi Corps, Azhar Abbas, the chief of the army’s general staff, Nauman Mahmood, the head of the National Defence University, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, the corps commander of Bahawalpur, and
The Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee are typically chosen by the prime minister after being forwarded by the General Headquarters (GHQ) to the Ministry of Defense with a list of the senior-most lieutenant-generals (varying from 3 to 5) and their ministries.
