Islamabad:
A petition filed in Pakistan's Supreme Court has challenged a lower court's decision dismissing a plea regarding directives to promote army chief General Raheel Sharif to the rank of Field Marshal before he retires next week.
Terming the extension or conferring of the title as greatest national interest, the appellant requested the court on Monday to set aside the Islamabad High Court's order.
Appellant Adnan Mazari, who is a Rawalpindi Bar Association (RBA) member, made Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the government and the Defence Ministry as respondents.
Raheel, 60, will retire on November 29.
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 (Chief of Army Staff) 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 in 2015, with 45 per cent less attacks and 38 per cent 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.
General Raheel, 60, is expected to pass on the baton of command of the army to the next army chief at a ceremony by the end of November.
Raheel in January had declared he would not seek extension.
