ISLAMABAD – Pakistani lawmakers extended the tenures of heads of the country’s armed forces to five years, and the country’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed incumbent COAS General Syed Asim Munir will continue serving until 2028.
The coalition government voted in National Assembly and Senate and President also gave assent for amendments which also ended retirement age and service limits for chief of all three forces.
Sharing his views on local TV, Defence Minister explained that the new legislation would end the longstanding practice of extending the terms of military leaders, which had been a recurring issue in Pakistan’s political history.
He said the matter of getting extension is now settled, noting that democratic governments would benefit from the change, as the bill ensures stability in the military leadership for the foreseeable future.
The new legislation were passed swiftly amid heated session in the National Assembly, which also saw the approval of a measure to increase the number of seats in the Supreme Court.
Despite the ruling government’s push for these reforms, opposition parties, especially Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposed the protests, and it even led to physical altercation.
With approval of these legislative changes, the tenure of Gen Asim as army chief is now confirmed until 2028, marking a significant shift in Pakistan’s military and political landscape.
Pakistan passes bills to increase number of SC judges and extend service chiefs’ terms to 5 years
