ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that the government was not considering making “major changes” to the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952.

Taking to Twitter, the Defence Minister said, “Media hype over amendments to the Pakistan Army Act is uncalled for. Government is not considering any major changes in the said Act. SCP had demanded review of relevant clauses of PAA in its judgment in CP 39/2019, which shall be complied with in due course.”

Earlier the reports emerged that the government was likely to consider amendments in the Army Act to empower the appointing authority, the prime minister, to retain “any candidate through a simple notification rather than having to go through a complex, constitutional process,”.

The reports also said that the after some changes, the report would be put before the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) following the Ministry of Defence’s nod last month.

The report, they said, would be sent to the parliament for legislation. The reporters emerged when incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was going to retire at the end of this month and he is busy with farewell visits nowadays.

PML-N – the major stakeholder in the ruling coalition – has decided that the senior-most military official whose name would be at the top of the list sent to the prime minister would be appointed for the coveted slot.