Pak govt files review plea in COAS service extension case

The Pakistan government on Thursday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its verdict in the army chief, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa's service extension case, reports said.

In its plea, the government sought a larger bench for hearing the case as also in-camera proceedings, Geo TV reported.

A three-member bench led by then Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had given six months extension to Genl Bajwa on November 28, after the government assured that the National Assembly will pass a law on extension/reappointment of the army chief within six months.

Gen Bajwa, 59, was set to retire on November 28 midnight.

The review petition argued that the SC verdict did not take into account important constitutional and legal points. It pointed out that the apex court itself had been "giving extensions to additional and ad-hoc judges", thereby making a case for the government to exercise similar discretion as well.

The government also maintained that the apex court's decision was not based on the judgment in the judges extension case.

The Supreme Court on December 16 issued a detailed verdict on the extension in services of the army chief.

It noted that "... there is no provision in the law for extending the service of a General for another tenure; nor is there any consistent and continuous institutional practice of granting such extension.

"... the summaries for the reappointment, extension and fresh appointment of General Bajwa were "meaningless in absence of the relevant law".

Allowing the incumbent COAS to continue for six months, the apex court warned that in the absence of legislation on the matter within six months, the institutional practice of retirement of a General on completion of the tenure of three years "shall stand enforced".IANS