COAS extension: Govt forms committee to negotiate with opposition

ISLAMABAD: The federal government formed a three-member committee to negotiate with the opposition on legislation related to COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s service extension, ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources.

According to the sources, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi would form the three-member committee.

The committee members will engage opposition for the all-important legislation on the matter of extension in service to the chief of army staff.

Earlier on November 28, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had granted Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa a six-month extension in his tenure and asked the parliament to legislate on the extension/reappointment of an Army chief.

The three-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Mian Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah — announced its short order in the case after the government assured that it will come up with legislation in a given time.

On August 19, Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the extension of General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the Chief of Army Staff.

According to a notification issued from the Prime Minister Office, the premier took the decision “in view of the regional security environment”.

COAS extension: Govt forms three-member committee to negotiate with opposition: sources