ISLAMABAD: The Treasury benches in the National Assembly today [March 28] took the initiative to amend two controversial articles, one of which dealt with the command of the Armed Forces and the other related to removal of judges. One of the Articles, 243, dealing with the Command of the Armed Forces, had been assailed by the Opposition on the ground that the PPP wanted to introduce politics in the Armed Forces by vesting the Power of appointing the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy and Air Forces in the Prime Minister instead of the President.

Moved by Mr. Muhammad Afzal Randhawa ... and adopted by the House, the amendment provided that the President, instead of the Prime Minister, should have the power to raise and maintain the Armed Forces and the reserves.

The House also adopted an amendment in the Articles 209, 210 and 211. ... The new Article 209 adopted by the House sought to lay down the procedure that the judges of the superior courts would be removable by parliament.

The grounds would be violation of the constitution, incapacity and gross misconduct. The removal would be possible with a three-fifth vote of the members of the National Assembly present and voting. News agencies