Pakistan; term of service for army commanders extends from three to five years

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AT Kabul: The Pakistani parliament amended the military law to extend the service terms of the heads of the three branches of the armed forces from three years to five years.

Under these changes, the chiefs of the army, air force, and navy in Pakistan will serve in their roles for a five-year term. With the approval of this amendment, the ruling coalition parties, despite strong opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, succeeded in keeping Asim Munir as head of the Pakistan Army until 2027.

According to the previous version of Pakistan’s military law, the army, navy, and air force chiefs were appointed by the prime minister for a three-year term. On Monday, November 4, the Pakistani parliament, at the request of the Ministry of Defense, extended the service terms of the army, air force, and navy chiefs from three to five years.

Ayaz Sadiq, the chief of Pakistan’s National Assembly announced via live broadcast on Pakistan’s national television that the parliament had amended the military law with a majority vote. The country’s Senate had previously approved this amendment.

Pakistan’s information minister told the media that amending the military law and extending the term of the military chiefs from three to five years is not detrimental to the country. Instead, it brings stability and continuity to the army’s policies.

However, opposition parties, particularly Imran Khan’s PTI, have called the new amendment to the military law detrimental to Pakistan.

Omar Ayub, the opposition leader in the National Assembly from the PTI, described the amendment as bulldozing the law by the ruling parties.

He said that the amendment is neither in the interest of the country nor the military. Opposition party members tore up copies of the amended military law on the floor of the assembly.

According to the amended version of the military law, the powerful army chief Asim Munir will remain in his current position until 2027.

Experts believe that the ruling coalition’s effort, led by Shehbaz Sharif, to keep Munir in this role signifies continued military support for Sharif’s government.