ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking an extension in tenure of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif.
The petition was filed by Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi in which he argued that the country is facing several threats as well as an operation is underway to eliminate corruption.
It was further argued in the petition that since General Raheel Sharif took over as Pakistan’s Army Chief in November 2013, terror-related incidents have substantially been reduced across the country as well as law and order situation has improved. Therefore, it is requested to grant an extension to the incumbent COAS.
The petitioner also requested the apex court to form a larger bench to hear his plea.
General Raheel Sharif became 15th COAS of the Pakistan Army on November 29, 2013 and is expected to retire in November 2016. However, according to the Constitution, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can extend the tenure of General Raheel Sharif on the recommendation of President Mamnoon Hussain.
Earlier this month, media reports said that the prime minister has decided to offer extension to the COAS General Raheel Sharif.
In September 2015, the former army chief and president Pervez Musharraf also called for extending the tenure of General Sharif and warned against a change in the military leadership.
“I am happy to see growing popularity of General Sharif because he is doing a wonderful job which needs to be continued. I wish he carries on with all this he is doing, What he is doing right now, it needs continuity and if there is any change in the leadership amidst this all, all good work which has been done so far would go in waste. So I can only wish and suggest that he should stay there,” Musharraf said.
