Senate Approves Bill Extending Military Chiefs’ Tenure to Five Years Amid Controversy

Senate on Monday approved a significant bill that amends the laws governing the tenure of military service chiefs, extending their fixed term from three years to five years.

• The lower house of Parliament approved a bill seeking amendment to the Army Act of 1952, the Pakistan Air Force Act of 1962, and the Pakistan Navy Act of 1953.

This legislative move follows the earlier approval from the National Assembly and is part of a broader set of amendments affecting all three branches of the armed forces: the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif introduced the bill to amend the Pakistan (Army/Air Force/Navy) Act Amendment, 2024, in both houses of Parliament.

“The purpose of these amendments is to make consistent the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, The Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961 and The Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953 with the maximum tenure of the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff and to make consequential amendments for uniformity in the aforementioned laws,” the bill stated.

The opposition criticized the government for rushing through this legislation without adequate debate, labelling it a move towards authoritarianism.

Despite these objections, the bill passed with the intention of establishing uniformity across military leadership terms and addressing evolving security challenges in Pakistan.

Key aspects of the amendments include:

• Extended Tenure: The new law allows for a five-year tenure for the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, replacing the previous three-year limit.
• Appointment Process: The amendments stipulate that the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, can reappoint or extend a service chief’s term based on national security needs.
• Impact on Promotions: Critics, including opposition leaders, argue that this extension could delay promotions for many military officers, as longer tenures for chiefs may hinder career advancement opportunities for junior officers aspiring to higher ranks

The bill seeking an amendment to the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 stated: “In the said Act, in section 8A, in sub-section (1), for the expression ‘three (03)’ the word ‘five (05)’ shall be substituted.”

Similarly, the bill aims to increase the length of time the service chief can be reappointed or have their tenure extended to five years, amending Section 8B of the act.

“In the said Act, in section 8B, in sub-section (1)- 10 for the expression ‘three (03)’, occurring twice, the expression ‘five (05)’ shall be substituted,” it stated.

Furthermore, the government also proposed an amendment to Section 8C, which deals with the retirement age, which is 64 years, and service limits of service chiefs.

The proposed amendment reads: “The retirement age and service limits prescribed for a General, under the Rules and Regulations made under this Act, shall not apply to the Chief of the Army Staff, during his tenure of appointment, reappointment and/or extension. Throughout such tenure, the Chief of the Army Staff shall continue to serve as a General in the Pakistan Army.”