Pakistan's apex court dismisses petition challenging extension of Army chief's tenure

Islamabad, Nov 19 (PTI) Pakistan Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the extension of the Army chief's tenure from three to five years.
    A seven-member constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, reviewed the case amid existing objections from the apex court's Registrar's Office.
    The bench included Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Musarrat Hilali.
    Petitioner Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi argued that the recent amendments to the Army Act violated constitutional limits on military service extensions.
    However, he remained absent despite multiple notices during the hearings.
    The judges in the final hearing noted the absence as a significant lapse that demonstrated a lack of intent to pursue the matter and dismissed the plea.
    Pakistan parliament earlier this month amended the law, regulating the services chiefs by increasing the tenure of service from three to five years.
    The issue of the army chief’s term extension has remained a sensitive topic in Pakistan due to alleged interference in politics.
    The powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)