National Assembly not to take up bills concerning services chiefs' tenure today

PTI govt delays deliberation over bills concerning services chiefs' tenure until consensus reached with opposition

ISLAMABAD: The lower house is set to convene today at 4:00pm, however, the agenda for the day does not include presenting bills concerning the services chiefs’ tenure.

According to Express, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government delayed presenting amendment bills for the Army Act, the Navy Act and the Air Force Act as it continues pursuing opposition for a hassle-free approval.

The federal government and the opposition will deliberate the amendment bills at the meeting of the National Assembly and Senate's Joint Standing Committee on Defence today instead.

The Imran Khan-led government intends to present the bill once it has full consensus of the House.

Meanwhile, the 14-point agenda for National Assembly today includes presenting The Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Bill 2019, The Federal Public Service Commission (Validation of Rules) Bill 2019, The Banks (Nationalization) (Amendment) Bill 2019 and The University of Islamabad Bill 2019.

The Pakistan Army Amendment Act 2020: Read the salient points of the bill

The services chiefs' tenure amendment bills

Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak tabled The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act 2020 to pave way for the three-year extension for Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa following the Supreme Court's judgment in the matter. The Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Act 2020 and The Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Act 2020 were simultaneously presented in the August House.

PTI government's efforts for a quick passing of the bill saw a roadblock when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif advised his party to adhere to parliamentary procedure and not pass the bill in haste. Nawaz had laid down a time-frame for the bill to be considered and voted upon.

Meanwhile, the federal government has reached out to the opposition including Jamat-e-Ulema-Islami Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as well.



The amendment bills in a nutshell

The new amendment states that the president, on the advice of the prime minister, can specify tenure and terms and conditions of the service of the army, naval and air staff, and the chairman of the joint chief of staff committee. This includes the grant of extension and re-appointments of the services chiefs. The amendment also fixes the age of the services chiefs at 64 years.

Most importantly, the amendment bill ensures that future extensions won't be challenged before any court on any ground whatsoever.

The water-tight bill categorically states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law, or any order or judgment of any Court, the appointment, reappointment or extension of the Chief of the Army Staff, or the exercise of discretion by the appointing authority in this regard, shall not be called into question before any Court on any ground whatsoever.”

Similar wording has been used if the civilian leadership decides to give an extension to the CJCSC.