Pakistan strikes down three-year extension for army chief

ISLAMABAD REUTERS, 28 Nov, 2019- Pakistan’s top court on Thursday gave the government six months to justify why it granted a controversial extension to the country’s army chief, in a rare case that pits the judiciary against the government and the military.   

 The cabinet of prime minister Imran Khan approved a three-year extension for General Qamar Javed Bajwa in August, citing a worsening national security situation in the region over its rivalry with India.   

 But in a surprise ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court suspended the extension, citing a series of irregularities and ordering the government and the army to produce legal provisions and detailed arguments on the reasoning behind the move.   On Thursday the court granted a temporary six-month extension to Bajwa’s tenure, due to end at midnight, but said the government must pass legislation through parliament in that time to clarify the section of Pakistan’s constitution governing the armed forces.