Pakistan SC issues detailed verdict on army chief's extension

The Supreme Court of Pakistan late on Monday issued a 43-page written verdict in a case related to the extension of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The written judgement by the court's Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has been issued in connection with its previous short written order in the plea announced on November 28 that had ordered granting six months to the government for the legislation on the matter from the parliament, ARY News reported.

An additional note of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, was also given in the detailed verdict in the case.

The judgement stated that the matter is being handed over to the parliament in order to avoid such mistakes in future. It also urged the parliament to assign a tenure for the post of the army chief.

It added that the federal government had included the word, extension, during the hearing held on November 26, however, the legislation was incorrect as it did not mention the details of the army chief's period of services and retirement age.

The government had restricted the tenure of Bajwa for three years under the regulation 255 but it was not eligible to be implemented as it did not define the retirement age of the general in the legislation, the verdict said.

On November 28, the top court had granted a six-month extension to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in his service tenure.

The court while announcing its short written order had given six months to the government for the legislation on the matter from the parliament.