ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday approved amendments to the Army, Navy and Air Force Acts, after the federal cabinet approved the proposed changes.
Earlier, the cabinet approved the amendments, soon after President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The aim of the amendments is to align the armed forces laws with the 27th Amendment, reads a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The legislation was enacted following amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution, which includes provisions relating to the mandate of the Chief of Defense Forces, he added.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif presented the bills related to armed forces, while Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the bill to amend the Rules of Practice and Procedure.
Speaking on the House floor, Tarar clarified that the changes were not new laws, but rather amendments to existing legislation.
“The change in the Army Law is that the current Chief of the Army Staff will at the same time be the Chief of the Defense Forces. [CDF]and the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will cease to exist once the sitting general retires,” he said.
The Justice Minister said the CDF’s mandate would be five years from the date of its appointment.
He added that certain provisions have been removed from the Navy and Air Force Acts, while others have been introduced.
The modifications to article 243 introduced, in addition to the position of the CDF, honorary titles such as Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force and Admiral of the Fleet.
Only parliament would have the power to revoke the titles of the heads of the armed forces to challenge them.
In addition, the prime minister would appoint the commander of the Army’s National Strategic Command on the recommendation of the FDC.
Meanwhile, Tarar said amendments to the Practices and Procedures Act led to the dismissal of the Constitutional Chambers.
The Prime Minister will now send a summary for the appointment of the President of the Federal Constitutional Court, he added.
The Justice Minister said the amendments were aimed at bringing the laws governing the judiciary into line with the 27th Amendment.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
