Explanation

The National Assembly on Monday passed six bills, including one seeking an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges and another related to the extension of the terms of armed services chiefs, amid deafening protest by the opposition. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also tabled the amendment bills, aiming to extend the tenure of the chief of army staff, chief of naval staff, and chief of air staff from three to five years. The government brought all the bills in the NA session through a supplementary agenda. According to the Army Act Amendment Bill, 1952, the rules of retirement of a general in the Pakistan Army will not apply to the army chief, who will continue to work as a general in case of appointment, re-appointment or extension. In surprise move, tenures of army, air force and naval chiefs increased • Amid changes to strength of superior judiciary, law minister says six to eight SC judges to be appointed in first phase • Judges’ panel reconstituted under amended SC Practice and Procedure law • Opposition protest fails to stop govt from pushing through bills ‘in record time’, without any debate