Law Minister Farogh Naseem resigns

Farogh Naseem would represent government in COAS Bajwa's extension case in Supreme Court: Rasheed

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem has resigned from his position, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed said in a news conference on Tuesday. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan has accepted Naseem s resignation.

Talking to media after the meeting of federal cabinet under the chair of PM Imran Khan, Sheikh Rasheed said Naseem has resigned because he will represent Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in the Supreme Court tomorrow. He will be accompanied at the court by the attorney general of Pakistan, he said.

Railway Minister said the cabinet hails the contributions of Farogh Naseem as Law Minister.  Naseem belongs to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a coalition partner of the ruling PTI.

On the other hand, the federal cabinet on Tuesday signed a new summary for the extension in the tenure of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another three years.

The summary was signed after PM Imran Khan presided over an emergency meeting to discuss the issue regarding the extension in the tenure of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa after the Supreme Court suspended the notification of his extension.

READ MORE: Cabinet sign new summary for extension of COAS Gen Bajwa s tenure

Sources said that the new summary was sent to President Alvi for approval.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood after the meeting said that the Supreme Court’s verdict was reviewed in the federal cabinet meeting.

He said that the President has the authority to extend Army Chief’s tenure on the advice of the prime minister.

“President Dr Arif Alvi has approved the extension in the tenure of COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another three years,” he said.

The development comes a few hours after the Supreme Court suspended the notification for General Bajwa’s extension of three years as army chief. The top court has sent notification to the concerned parties involved in the matter and adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that the Constitution doesn’t allow re-appointment or extension in the service of the army chief. The prime minister issued a self-deployment notification on August 19, stating that the Army Chief’s term was extended.

SC suspends COAS Bajwa s service extension notification until tomorrow

In a verbal order following the hearing, the court said that the prime minister had issued a notification of Gen Bajwa’s "appointment in his own capacity on August 19". "The mistake was realised after the notification [was issued] and the prime minister sent the summary to the president. The president approved it on August 19.

"The court was told that the extension is being granted in light of the regional security situation. Dealing with regional security situation is the job of the army as an institution, not just that of an officer’s.

"If the regional security situation reasoning is accepted, then every army officer would want a re-appointment." "The attorney general could not present any legal reason for an extension in tenure or a new appointment," the court observed.