SC briefly adjourns COAS tenure extension case

The verdict in the of Army Chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa Extention case has been reserved.

Army Chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa is set to retire at midnight, today’s hearing that started at 9:30am was the last opportunity for the government to satisfy the court on the legal grounds of the move.

As the hearing commenced, the bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Mian Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah — directed Attorney General of Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan to submit the extension notification issued for former army chief Gen (retd) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani as well as that of Gen (retd) Raheel Sharif’s retirement in the court.

Before adjourning the hearing briefly, the chief justice told Farogh Naseem that the government should submit a written statement to ensure that the parliament will legislate on the matter within three months.

“If legislation is not done within three months, the appointment will become illegal,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Bar Association restored the license of Farogh Naseem, who had on Tuesday stepped down as law minister in order to represent Gen Bajwa in the court.