Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak on Friday presented the Army Act Amendment Bill 2020 in the National Assembly (NA) for approval
ISLAMABAD (Pakistan Point News / Online - 03rd January, 2020) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak on Friday presented the Army Act Amendment Bill 2020 in the National Assembly (NA) for approval.During the session chaired by NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, Army Act, Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961 and Pakistan Air Force Act were presented.Subsequently, the session has been adjourned till Saturday morning while all three bills based on rules and regulations have also been forwarded to relevant standing committee.
The government delegation headed by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak Thursday held meeting with PML-N leaders and sought their support on Army Act amendment bill.The committee consisting Pervez Khattak, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Senator Azam Swati and Leader of the House in Senate Syed Shibli Faraz arrived at opposition's chamber and discussed the matter with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Khawaja Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanvir and others.
Not only PML-N but Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also expressed its support to the amendment bill and assured to assist the government in approving it in the assembly.Earlier, Federal Cabinet had approved amendment in Army Act for an extension in the tenure of all military chiefs.The retirement age of three armed forces will be 64 years. The proposed bill stated that the Prime Minister of Pakistan can advise an extension in the tenure of any service chief.
It is pertinent here to mention that the top court had allowed extension/reappointment of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another six months and asked the government to determine the tenure, terms and conditions of the service of the army chief through legislation within the period.The court summarized its findings after exploring the scope of Article 243 of the Constitution which governs the army chief's appointment, reviewing the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, reviewing the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, the Pakistan Army Act Rules, 1954, and the Army Regulations (Rules).
