PPP seeks more debate on services chiefs’ bills

Rabbani says rules laid down in draft has not been disclosed earlier

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Senator Raza Rabbani has stressed that the amendments to the Army Act should be made in accordance with the constitutional procedures as the current proposed draft “does not appear to be in line with the orders of the Supreme Court”.

Rabbani expressed the remarks on Sunday while addressing a news conference at Bilawal House after attending the PPP central executive committee (CEC) meeting.

He was accompanied by Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Naveed Qamar and other party leaders.

The former senate chairman said that PPP leadership had deliberated on the proposd amendments to the Army Act and wanted to go ahead with the legislation in a positive manner.

He claimed the government wanted the bill to be approved from both the houses on Friday.

He said the rules and regulations laid in the draft of the Army Amendment Act Bill had not been disclosed earlier.

Rabbani demanded of the government to bring them to the fore and have them debated by the standing committees.

He told the reporters that the PPP was in contact with opposition parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

When asked if the PPP was in favour or against of the amendments in the Army Act, Rabbani replied that the premier had already given extension to the army chief.

He said the PPP leadership had contemplated on the amendments and would propose some recommendations.

Earlier, PPP held its CEC session with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the chair.

The participants of the meeting paid tribute to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on his birth anniversary.

The National Assembly and Senate's Joint Standing Committee on Defence approved the three bills pertaining to amendments to the Army Act, the Navy Act and the Air Force Act on Friday.

The bills, pertaining to the tenure of the three services chiefs, were approved unanimously by the committee and will be presented for approval in the next National Assembly, said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Azam Swati.

The laws will fix 64 years as the maximum age limit of the three services chiefs — chief of army staff, chief of air staff and chief of naval staff — and the chairman of the joint chief of staff committee, with the prime minister having the prerogative to give an extension to any of them in future after completion of their normal tenure at the age of 60 years and the president having the power to give the final nod.