‘In line with expectations’: Pakistan extends army chief’s tenure from 3 to 5 years

Latest update:November 05, 2024 08:27 IST

The amendment will apply to the current Pakistan Army chief, General Asim Munir, who is due to retire next year. His term will now be extended until 2027.

Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, General Asim Munir. (Image: PTI file)

As Pakistan extended the tenure of the army chief from three to five years, intelligence sources in India said this was expected, adding that it is the army chief and “not the institution” that is important to the country.

The Pakistani government on Monday passed an amendment to the law extending the term of office of the head of the armed forces from three to five years. The amendment was introduced by Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Indian intelligence sources said this was entirely expected. “In the rest of the world the army is for the country, but in Pakistan the country is for the army. The passage of the bill will have no impact. This is what they wanted and they got it,” sources said.

The amendment will apply to the current Pakistan Army chief, General Asim Munir, who is due to retire next year. His term will now be extended and he will retire in 2027, regardless of the general’s retirement age of 64.

According to Pakistan’s parliamentary records, the amendment bill took only 16 minutes to pass. Sources in the Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) say the government’s tenure will be five years and will “bring stability to the army.”