SC to hear petition challenging Gen Qamar’s extension today

Petitioner requests the court to declare the extension null and void

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a petition challenging the extension in the tenure of army chief General Qamar Bajwa.

Gen Qamar, who was set to retire on November 29 this year upon completion of his three-year term, would serve on the post till November 2022 after Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his tenure citing "regional security environment."

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Mazhar Alam and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah will hear the petition.



The petitioner, Jurist Foundation through its counsel Riaz Hanif Rahi, has prayed to the court to declare the extension null and void, and illegal.

Last week, the federal government had dispelled the speculations regarding an extension in the tenure of army chief after it said that "the notification for the reappointment of General Qamar as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for another tenure had already been issued on August 19, 2019."