Senate passes bills about services chiefs’ tenures
ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Wednesday passed services act amendment bill about tenures of services chiefs with majority of votes.
Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak presented the bill on the forum. The session was presided over by Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani in Islamabad.
Clause-wise approval of three bills — Army (Amendment) Bill 2020 Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill 2020 and Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill 2020 — regarding tenure of the services chiefs (chief of army staff, chief of naval staff and chief of air staff) was made at the Senate session.
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Now, after signing on the bills by President Arif Alvi, the bills would become law. Following completion of the legislation, the president could sign extension in tenure of an army chief, a naval chief or an air force chief for three years on advice of the prime minister. The extension/ reappointment would not be able to be challenged in the court.
The House meeting has been adjourned until Friday, Jan 10.
The National Assembly had on Jan 7 approved the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2020 bill with majority of votes.
The bill regarding amendment in the Army Act was presented before the National Assembly for approval by Federal Defence Minister Pervez Khattak. Prime Minister Imran Khan was also present on this occasion.
On Jan 7, Khattak had said Senate Standing Committee on Defence had also unanimously approved the bills regarding tenure of services chiefs.
He had said no party had presented any recommendation for amendment in the bill. Approval from the Senate on the bills would be taken on Jan 8, he had said.
In Nov 2018, the Supreme Court had approved the extension / reappointment of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another six months asking the government to decide the tenure, terms and conditions of the military chief’s service by means of legislation within the time limit.
