Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: An appeal has been moved in the Supreme Court to challenge the Islamabad High Court’s order in which it dismissed a petition seeking directions for conferring the title of field marshal on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif.

Terming the extension or conferring of the title as greatest national interest the appellant on Monday requested the court to set aside the IHC order as THE COAS rendered services to protect the national security and safeguarding the frontiers in accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP) and successful completion of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Appellant Adnan Mazari, who is a Rawalpindi Bar Association (RBA) member, made Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the government and the Defence Ministry as respondents.

He contended that the IHC’s order is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional without taking into consideration the merit of the said post which is globally recognised and Pakistan is no exception.

“That the exemplary, outstanding and professional performance during peace and war time with total dedication and devotion by attaining the highest standards and mastery in battlefield our present COAS needs national appreciation, award and recognition; and in our constitution of Pakistan no tenure/period of COAS is enshrined anywhere,” the appellant contended.

The appeal stated that Pakistan recorded a substantial decrease in terrorism last year, with 45 percent less attacks and 38 percent less deaths reported in the year than the previous year, according to the report of the ‘Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2016. He added that this is the second consecutive year in which Pakistan has seen reduction in terrorism.

The reduction in deaths from terrorism is in part explained by Operation Zarb-e-Azb being carried out by Pakistan Army. The operation focused on removing militants’ safe havens in North Waziristan, he also said.

The applicant claimed that besides initiation and formulation of NAP the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is also in progress and negative forces which are creating hurdles can only be countered by the Pakistan Army led by COAS Raheel Sharif.

“The findings of the single bench (of IHC) were against the weight of the evidence as the judge erred in law in admitting while construing the words “Field Marshall” and ranks and insignia honorary awards and titles within military hierarchy,” the petitioner said.