Supreme Court dismisses petition challenging extension in tenure of army chief

In this photograph taken on October 23, 2024, a man walks past the Pakistan's Supreme Court building in Islamabad. (AFP/File)
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Updated 19 November 2024
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Supreme Court dismisses petition challenging extension in tenure of army chief

  • Pakistan earlier this month passed bills to extend the tenures of heads of the armed forces to five years from three
  • Rights advocates say measures by PM Sharif’s coalition could be aimed at shoring up support from powerful military figures

ISLAMABAD: The Constitutional Bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the extension of the tenure of Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir, state news agency APP said. 

Pakistan’s parliament earlier this month passed bills to extend the terms of the heads of the armed forces to five years from three, a move that has been opposed by rights activists as well as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The PTI believes extending the term of commanders including the army chief would deal another blow to the embattled Khan and his party, which blames the military for his downfall. The army denies involvement. 

“The petition was dismissed after the petitioner Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi failed to appear before the court and defend his argument in spite of repeated notices,” APP said. “Also, the new legislation fixing the tenure of all three service chiefs paved the way for the dismissal of the petition.”

The office of the army chief is considered to be the most powerful in the country, with the military having ruled Pakistan for almost half of its 75-year history. Even when not directly in power, the army is considered to be the invisible guiding hand in politics and holds considerable sway in internal security, foreign policy, and economic affairs, among other domains. 

The coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has defended the passage of the new bills that extend the tenures of the army, navy and air force chiefs, saying the move would check against services chiefs granting themselves extensions and “formalize” the duration of their service. The government says the bills are aimed at building continuity and avoiding the political turmoil that usually surrounds the appointment of the army chief every three years. 

Rights activists and democracy advocates say the measures by the Sharif-led coalition, which is opposed to Khan and took power after an election in February, could be aimed at shoring up support from powerful military figures.

Under the new law, Gen.l Munir, who took office in November 2022 with a timeline to retire in 2025, will serve until 2027 irrespective of a retirement age of 64 for a general.

Khan, who has been in jail since August last year, has been at odds with generals he blames for his 2022 ousting, after he fell out with then-army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. The military denies it interferes in politics. 

Khan’s party-backed candidates won the most seats in February’s election but fell short of a majority, clearing the way for his opponents led by Sharif to form a government.

Khan’s supporters have since been agitating in parliament and on the streets, alleging that the election was rigged to keep them out of power, which the election commission denies. The PTI says the ruling alliance does not enjoy legitimacy, an accusation the government rejects.

The passage of the new bills on extension in service tenure follows controversial amendments made to the constitution last month, granting lawmakers the authority to nominate the chief justice of Pakistan, who previously used to be automatically appointed according to the principle of seniority.

The amendments allowed the government to bypass the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and appoint Justice Yahya Afridi as the country’s top judge.

The opposition and the legal fraternity have opposed the amendments, arguing that they are aimed at granting more power to the executive in making judicial appointments and curtailing the independence of the judiciary. The government denies this.


Pakistan envoy urges Trump administration to help resolve Kashmir amid tensions with India

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan envoy urges Trump administration to help resolve Kashmir amid tensions with India

  • Pakistan envoy tells Fox News world must address root causes of India-Pakistan tensions
  • He says President Trump can build a peacemaker legacy by resolving the Kashmir dispute

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s envoy to the United States has urged Washington to move beyond crisis management and support efforts to resolve the Kashmir dispute, saying President Donald Trump came build a legacy by addressing the issue following last month’s deadly attack in the region.
The April 22 gun attack at a tourist hotspot in Indian-administered Kashmir left 26 people dead, prompting New Delhi to blame Pakistan, though Islamabad denied the charge forcefully.
India expelled Pakistani nationals and diplomats in the wake of the incident, closed a major border crossing, suspended a decades-old river water sharing treaty and imposed trade and shipping restrictions. Pakistan took reciprocal steps but also sought a neutral and impartial international investigation. Islamabad also warned that any military action by India would elicit a major response despite its desire to avoid escalation.
In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said the risk of such crises would persist unless the global community moved beyond “band-aid solutions” and tackled the root cause of tensions.
“What we would urge the US leadership is to not only afford de-escalatory support in this situation but also to look at the broader issue of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
India and Pakistan have fought several wars over the disputed Himalayan region, which both countries claim in full but rule in part.
“This is one nuclear flash point. There’s nothing flashier than this in terms of the impact on a large chunk of humanity that any misadventure, any miscalculation, any war here can cause. So, it would be an important part, it could be an important part of President Trump’s legacy to attend to this situation,” Sheikh added.
The Pakistani envoy noted that in previous crises, the international community had often intervened only to pull back before tensions were fully defused.
“This time ... it would be reasonable and perhaps even timely ... to perhaps not afford a band-aid solution, but to address the broader problem, the major disease that is there, and try and have a durable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” he said.
Sheikh emphasized what he described as the “disproportionate responsibility” of the United States, as a preeminent global power, to help maintain and establish international peace and security.
He warned that the current crisis should not be allowed to fade without meaningful diplomatic solution.
“There is an opportunity in this situation, which we believe should not be squandered by the international community,” he added.


Over 8,800 Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah with 3,300 more expected today — state media

Updated 03 May 2025
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Over 8,800 Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah with 3,300 more expected today — state media

  • The first groups of Pakistani pilgrims are scheduled to depart for Makkah on May 7
  • Pilgrims going directly to Makkah will visit Madinah after performing Hajj rituals

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj mission in Saudi Arabia has received nearly 8,890 pilgrims in Madinah, state media reported on Saturday, adding that 3,300 more were expected to arrive by the end of the day.
Pakistan launched its Hajj flights on April 29. For the first 15 days of the operation, pilgrims will continue to arrive in Madinah. Afterward, incoming pilgrims will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.
“The Pakistan Hajj Mission has so far received approximately 8,890 intending Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah by Saturday, who arrived through 35 flights operated by various airlines from major cities of Pakistan to perform their religious obligation under the government scheme,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
“As many as 12 flights, carrying 3,300 more pilgrims, are scheduled to arrive in the holy City Madinah on Saturday,” it added.
Pilgrims from across the world are converging in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which begins on the 8th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar.
The first groups of Pakistani pilgrims are scheduled to depart for Makkah on May 7 after completing their eight-day stay in Madinah. Departures will follow the sequence of their arrival in the city, according to the religious affairs ministry.
Under the single-route system, all Pakistani pilgrims arriving in Madinah will proceed to Makkah for Hajj before returning to Pakistan via Jeddah.
Pilgrims flying directly to Makkah will later visit Madinah before departing for home.
Upon reaching Makkah, pilgrims will perform their first obligatory Umrah, according to the ministry.


India bans imports from Pakistan amid tension over tourist killings

Updated 03 May 2025
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India bans imports from Pakistan amid tension over tourist killings

  • New Delhi has issued a notification barring goods coming from or transiting through Pakistan
  • Pakistani-flagged ships and Indian-flagged ships are barred from entering each other’s ports

NEW DELHI: India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region.
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification that the ban would take effect immediately.
“This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy,” it said.
Suspected militants killed at least 26 people in last week’s attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and has been the focus of several wars, an insurgency and diplomatic standoffs.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, which Islamabad denies. Pakistan has said it has “credible intelligence” that India intends to launch military action.
Pakistan’s retaliatory measures have included halting all border trade, closing its airspace to Indian carriers and expelling Indian diplomats.
It has also warned that any attempt to prevent the flow of river water promised under a decades-old treaty would be considered an act of war.
On Saturday, India said Pakistani-flagged ships would not be allowed to visit any Indian port, and Indian flagged-ships would not visit any ports in Pakistan.
“This order is issued to ensure safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in public interest and for interest of Indian shipping,” the Directorate General of Shipping said in an statement.
Trade between the two nations has dwindled over the last few years.


Türkiye reaffirms solidarity with Pakistan after Kashmir attack, urges restraint amid regional tensions

Updated 03 May 2025
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Türkiye reaffirms solidarity with Pakistan after Kashmir attack, urges restraint amid regional tensions

  • The Turkish envoy in Islamabad meets PM Sharif, says Ankara appreciates Pakistan’s position
  • Sharif says Pakistan’s focus remains on economic recovery, which requires regional peace

ISLAMABAD: Türkiye has reaffirmed its solidarity with Pakistan following the April 22 attack at a tourist hotspot in Indian-administered Kashmir while calling for de-escalation and restraint to preserve peace in South Asia, the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad said on Saturday.
The assault in Pahalgam, a popular destination in the disputed Himalayan region, killed 26 tourists last month. India accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack, an allegation Islamabad has since denied repeatedly.
The Pakistani administration has also called for an international investigation into the incident, warning that India’s claims risk further inflaming tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
With Islamabad engaged in active diplomacy to project its stance over the issue, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and conveyed Ankara’s appreciation for Pakistan’s response earlier today.
“The Turkish Ambassador informed the Prime Minister that Türkiye appreciated Pakistan’s position and expressed its solidarity with Pakistan while calling for de-escalation and urging restraint in the current crisis to maintain peace and security in South Asia,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s offer for a credible, transparent and neutral international probe into the Pahalgam attack and welcomed Türkiye’s potential participation in such an inquiry.
Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint after the attack.
Pakistan and Türkiye share close diplomatic, economic and defense ties.
Turkish defense firms have helped modernize Pakistan’s Agosta 90B-class submarines and supplied military equipment including drones and targeting systems.
The two countries also hold regular joint military exercises, most recently the Ataturk-XIII drills aimed at enhancing interoperability.
Sharif also told the Turkish envoy that Pakistan’s focus remained on economic recovery and growth, which required peace and stability in the region.
He highlighted Pakistan’s longstanding struggle against militant violence, pointing out the country had sacrificed 90,000 lives and incurred $152 billion of losses.


Five militants killed, two apprehended in separate operations in Pakistan’s northwest

Updated 03 May 2025
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Five militants killed, two apprehended in separate operations in Pakistan’s northwest

  • A paramilitary troop was killed in Balochistan amid reports of attacks on a passenger bus and government buildings in the province
  • Pakistan has been battling twin insurgencies in its western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan that border Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Five militants, belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were killed and two others were apprehended in three separate operations in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Saturday.
Pakistani security forces killed three militants, including a high-value target, in an intelligence-based operation in KP’s Bajaur district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Two TTP militants were killed in the second operation in the North Waziristan district, while security forces busted a TTP hideout in the Mohmand district and arrested two members of the outlawed group.
“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from these khwarij (TTP militants), who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other kharji found in the area.”
Pakistan has struggled to contain surging militancy in KP in recent years, where the Pakistani Taliban, or the TTP, have mounted their attacks against security forces and police since their fragile, months-long truce with Islamabad broke down in late 2022.
Late last month, the Pakistani military said it had killed 71 militants in three days of operations in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan.
The number was usually high in Pakistan’s battle against militancy and instability along its border with Afghanistan during the nearly four years since the United States withdrew its military support from the country and the Taliban took over Kabul.
Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of supporting the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups, an allegation denied by Kabul.
Pakistan is also facing an intensifying separatist insurgency in the southwestern Balochistan province.
On Friday, a Levies paramilitary troop was killed in an attack on a check-post in Balochistan’s Kalat district, while there were reports of militant attacks on government buildings in Mangochar city, according to a Levies official.
“One Levies soldier was killed after gunmen targeted a Levies check-post in Kot Langove, an area of Kalat district,” Levies official Muhammad Ramzan told Arab News.
“Many armed militants obstructed the Quetta-Karachi highway in Mangochar and there are reports that many government buildings were torched in Mangochar Bazaar.”
The official said they were gathering more details about the incidents.
In another attack, armed men targeted a passenger bus heading to Karachi from Quetta in Khad Kocha area near Mastung.
“Six passengers were injured in the attack who were later shifted to Nawab Ghosh Bukhsh Memorial Hospital,” Mastung Deputy Commissioner Raja Atthar Abbas told Arab News.
“They were the same militants who attempted to take control of the highway in Kalat, but couldn’t succeed in blocking the road.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but suspicions are likely to fall on Baloch separatists.
In March, fighters from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan’s Bolan region, holding hundreds of passengers hostage.
The military launched a rescue operation in which 354 passengers were freed and 33 militants were killed. Officials said the hijacking killed 31 soldiers, railway staff and civilians.