Think of these six months as three years for General Bajwa, says Sheikh Rashid

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minster for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday that the PML-N was on-board with General Bajwa's extension and that  one should consider that the army chief is here to stay for three more years rather than six months. 

The federal minister said that the crisis that had emerged was not the army chief's fault.

"The army chief should not be blamed, we did not come up with the  the documents that were required," he said.

He said that it was also unfair to put all the blame on former law minister Farogh Naseem and instead said that officers should be blamed for their negligence.

Rashid said that the army chief will fulfill his three-year term.

"Think of the six months as three years for the army chief," he said.

He claimed that the PML-N was on-board with General Bajwa's extension.

"Yes they will vote for his extension beyond six months. They will vote with folded hands. PML-N is on-board with this decision," he said.

He said that the government would have been ready if the court had given a different verdict.

SC allows govt to extend army chief's tenure

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the federal government to grant a six-month extension to COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

In its short order the apex court directed the government to bring necessary legislation within six months' time.

The order, read out by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, ordered the parliament to introduce legislation for appointment of army chief under Article 243.

The order stated regarding the Article 243: "Article 243 of the Constitution clearly mandates that the Federal Government shall have control and command of the Armed Forces and the supreme command of the Armed Forces shall vest in the President."

The CJP remarked that the court is observing judicial restraint and leaving the matter to the parliament.