General Bajwa’s extension: AGP Mansoor hails ‘historic’ SC verdict

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General of Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan on Thursday hailed the historic verdict of the Supreme Court which allowed the federal government to extend General Bajwa’s tenure as army chief by six months.

Flanked by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar and former law minister Farogh Naseem, the attorney general said that the problem was solved due to strength of the law.

“The interpretation of law and the constitution will serve as a precedent for the future,” he said.

Mansoor said that the judiciary conducted hearings on the petition filed, then issued notices and a stay order was also issued.

He said that the Army Act was from the prepartition times and no one realised there was anything in the act which needed correction.

Akbar said that the decision given by the Supreme Court should be accepted as it was.

“We should understand the verdict given by the Supreme Court in the context that it was given,” he said. “We should not say anything that affects the morale of the armed forces.”

He said that some external forces had presented the entire case by deliberately ignoring its context.

Former law minister Farogh Naseem categorically denied reports that Prime Minister Imran or the army chief had asked him to resign.

“Neither did the prime minister nor General Bajwa ask me to resign. It was my own decision,” he said.

Naseem said that General Bajwa’s tenure will begin from midnight today (Thursday).

He said that the decision of the court was a victory for democracy and a win for the supremacy of law and constitution.

“The tenure of the army chief will begin from tonight. The government will bring a law in six months to decide the tenure of the army chief and whatever is decided, that is the right of the parliament,” he added.

Naseem said that everything was fair in politics but judges and the armed forces should not be dragged into it.

“Our judges and the courts are protectors of our constitution,” he said.

The attorney general said that ever since the case was heard by the courts, the media presented it in a strange manner.

“Our enemies abroad are taking advantage of the situation,” he said. “Please do not speak against Pakistan and provide opportunities for our enemies to do the same.”