'PM wanted extension, not Gen Bajwa,' says former Gen Amjad Shoaib
Retired Gen Amjad Shoaib says that six-month conditional extension will cause uncertainty among the lower staff of army.
ISLAMABAD: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Nov 29th, 2019) General retired Amjad Shoaib on Friday said that he talked to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa regarding extension in his tenure but he was not willing it contrary to Prime Minister Imran Khan who wanted him to hold his office.
According to media reports, former army officer Amjad Shoaib said that six month conditional extension granted to General Qamar Javed Bajwa as army chief would create uncertain situation in the army command. He said, however, the other retired generals and a former Defence secretary were also not agreeing to this point.
“I think the conditional extension granted to Army Chief General Bajwa will create uncertainty about army command,” said Defence analyst retired Gen Amjad Shoaib. He said there was a big challenge in the way of legislation on the matter in compliance of the Supreme Court order as the ruling PTI did not have majority in the legislative assembly. “Legislation on the matter is complex because the ruling PTI doesn’t have majority in National Assembly and Senate,” said the analyst, adding that “this is what I am saying will create uncertain situation in army command because lower staffers of the army will be looking at this matter,”.
“The situation is quite complex,” said Shoaib, adding that “it is up to General Bajwa whether he maintains respect of the army or resigns from his office by introducing reforms in the institutions,”.
However, former Defence Secretary Asif Yaseen Malik said that there was no problem even if General Bajwa was granted six-month extension for his tenure as army chief.
“Army is well-disciplined institution and the conditional extension will not cause damage,” said the former Defence Secretary.
On Friday, the Supreme Court granted six-month conditional extension to army chief General Bajwa and sought assurance from the Federal government for legislation on the matter. The SC found lacunas in the relevant laws. The SC surprised that the general kept extending their tenures in the past and nobody bothered ever to look at the relevant laws.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Mian Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah announced short order reserved earlier on the matter. The Jurists Foundation through its Chairman Riaz Rahi had moved the petition against extension granted to army chief by the PTI government.