Explanation

Gen Qamar is not the first army chief, who has been given an extension. Earlier Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani also served as army chief for six years after his tenure was extended by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government in 2010. Kayani was appointed as army chief by military ruler General Musharraf in 2007 but later prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani extended his term till 2013 in view of the war on terror and the precarious law and order situation the country was facing then.