Now The Judiciary In Pakistan Confronts The Army : Supreme Court Suspends Army Chief’s Extension
General Qamar Javed Bajwa had ordered Imran Khan to give him a three-year extension as COAS, in Aug. 19. The office of Prime Minister Imran Khan citing tension with neighbouring India over the disputed territory of Kashmir issued the Extension Orders.
Under Pakistan’s constitution, the army chief of staff usually serves a three-year term. Since the role was established in 1972, only one general has had his term extended by a civilian government.
Imran Khan’s government has enjoyed good relations with the military, in contrast to the tensions between the civilian government and army under the party of his predecessor and rival Nawaz Sharif.
However now the Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended an extension of the term of office for the country’s army chief, putting it on a possible collision course with the powerful military. In a hearing to validate Bajwa’s extension on Tuesday, Pakistan’s Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said the court was suspending the decision until the army produced detailed arguments on the reasoning behind the move.
“If the (regional security) situation is so then the army as a whole body can deal with the situation, not the individual,” Khosa said. “If this criteria is allowed than every individual in the army can demand an extension on the same grounds.” By stating this probably the Chief Justice of Pakistan is overstepping his judicial authority. This we will come to know only after the official action taken by COAS for filing an affidavit in the court.
Chief Justice has also said that PM Khan’s office has failed to follow procedure by submitting the extension request itself, rather than going through the office of Pakistan’s president.
If the extension is blocked by the court, Bajwa’s term will end on Friday. Khosa issued notice for representatives of the military and the government to appear in court on Wednesday.
The court’s action surprised analysts tracking Pakistan’s influential military, which has ruled the country for nearly half its 72-year history and takes the lead in setting security and foreign policy. So in a new coup will the Chief Justice go or will the COAS go …..every one is watching and waiting.
It comes a day after several high-ranking generals were transferred to new roles.
“The unhappiness in the various institutions at the informal power that the army chief has acquired… may have brought different institutional forces together to challenge the extension,” said Ayesha Siddiqua, an analyst who wrote a best-selling book on the Pakistani military.
An army spokesman declined to comment, but a Pakistani military source said the army was still confident Bajwa would be granted an extension.
“The extension has been delayed only on a technicality and will be sorted out tomorrow,” he said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to publicly discuss the issue.
During Bajwa’s tenure the military has been accused by opposition politicians of electoral manipulation that helped Khan to power last year. The military has always denied interfering in politics.
