ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision on the extension of service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Minister of Law and Justice Farogh Naseem said that the government has challenged the SC verdict in the army chief extension case. Under the law, the government had to file a review petition till December 28.
Interestingly, the government is going to request the apex court to conduct an in-camera hearing in the case.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Farogh Naseem said the apex court verdict did not consider certain points outlined in the Constitution.
Earlier in the day, the law minister met with AGP Anwar Mansoor Khan in his office.
The Imran Khan-led government approved a three-year extension for General Qamar Javed Bajwa in August citing a worsening national security situation in the region over its rivalry with India.
In its November 28 decision, the top court gave the Imran Khan-led government six months to justify why it granted a controversial extension to the country’s army chief.
The Supreme Court cited a series of irregularities and ordered the government and the army to produce legal provisions and detailed arguments on the reasoning behind the move.
Although the apex court granted a temporary six-month extension to Bajwa’s tenure, due to end at midnight, but said the PTI government must pass legislation through parliament in that time to clarify the section of Pakistan’s constitution governing the armed forces.
“We are showing judicial restraint although there is no provision in law to grant an extension,” said Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa. “We leave this matter to parliament to make law regarding this.”
