ISLAMABAD: A citizen filed a petition on Monday requesting the Supreme Court to prevent the appointment of the next army chief solely on the basis of seniority.
The petitioner, Shahid Orkazai, claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s announcement that he would appoint the senior-most lieutenant general as chief of the army staff was in conflict with the constitution and the Pakistan Army Act of 1952.
COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will retire on Nov 28.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Orakzai said the principle of seniority was applied in the judiciary but not in the army and the civil services where the emphasis should be on competence.
He has appealed against the dismissal on May 22 by the Islamabad High Court of his petition for lack of locus standi because the petitioner was not a military officer.
Recounting past appointments of army chiefs, he said the three-year extension in the service of the incumbent COAS had taxed the professional growth of the army and several competent generals had retired without promotion.
The petitioner requested the court to restrain the prime minister from exercising his power under Article 243 to advise the president for the appointment of the next chiefs of the army, navy or air force until a ruling on the petition.