The National Assembly (NA) of Pakistan has approved a legislative amendment to extend the tenures of all armed services chiefs from three to five years. This will mean that General Asim Munir will now retire on November 29, 2027, instead of November 29 next year. He had taken charge of the top post two years ago after prolonged uncertainty.
The tenures of the Pakistan Air Force chief and Pakistan Navy will also be now five years, instead of three years as at present. However, who holds these two posts is insignificant as the Pakistan Army Chief is a major player in the national politics. Of course unofficially but can impact the government’s policies on foreign affairs, investments and even domestic politics.
Hours after the NA, the Senate, Upper House of Pakistan Parliament comprising indirectly elected legislators, also approved the same set of bills, sending them to President Asif Ali Zardari for final approval. The government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and supported by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) appears to have moved with lightening speed in getting these legislations passed, according to a report of The Express Tribune.
The bills on extension of tenures of service chiefs were presented in the NA by Federal Defence Minister Khwaja Asif.
Later, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented bills which increased the number of judges in the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court, which were subsequently approved by the House. Tarar presented The Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill 2024 for parliamentary approval, proposing an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges to 34, from present 17.
In the Islamabad High Court, the number of judges had now been raised from present strength of nine to 12. The changes brought in by the government also include amendments to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, to incorporate constitutional benches, expanding the scope and composition of judicial panels. Proposed additions to Article 191A of the Constitution will enable these benches to address constitutional matters, with an administrative committee of senior judges responsible for allocating cases to either the Supreme Court or constitutional benches.
This Bill increasing the number of judges is likely to give the government an opportunity to appoint many retired judges too. This is seen as a move to tame the judiciary into adopting a more pronounced pro-government line in all cases. Some days earlier, the government had managed to supersede Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and appoint Justice Yahya Afridi as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). This feat was also achieved by the government through legislation after support from Maulana Fazrul Rehman’s party.
CJP Yahya Afridi’s predecessor Justice Qazi Faez Isa was considered ill-disposed towards Imran Khan. However, many of the judges in the Supreme Court were seen as inclined to provide judicial relief to PTI. By sidelining Justice Shah, the Shehbaz Sharif government has clearly sent a message that it can manage to prevent anyone remotely seen as pro-Imran, neutral or anti-government from rising to his/her full potential.
These bills impacting top posts in services as also top judiciary are being interpreted by experts and Pakistan watchers as aimed at former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) party. It may be mentioned here that Imran had removed General Asim, the present chief of Pakistan Army, from the powerful post of DG of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), during his tenure.
A widely prevalent view in the Pakistan society is that ever since the day of his removal, General Asim Munir has harboured a grudge against Imran. At one time, it was being said that he will not make it to the top post and his successor Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed will be made the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by Imran.
In a swift turn of events, Imran was voted out of PM’s office with Shehbaz Sharif becoming his successor. Most of political developments since then seem to have been specifically targeted at Imran and his PTI. So much so that in Februay 2024, the elections to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies were rigged favour against him.
As the bills were introduced, the opposition erupted into chaos, raising slogans and protesting. However, it did not have the numbers to prevent the government from getting these bills passed in both the Houses. Approval of President Zardari is considered a foregone conclusion.
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