The Prime Minister Office on Monday received the summary for the appointment of the next chief of army staff (COAS) from the Ministry of Defense.
According to details, the process to appoint the next army chief has formally started as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is all set to retire on November 29.
A meeting under the chair of PM Shehbaz is underway to discuss the names for the next army chief and the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) sources said, with Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Ayaz Sadiq in attendance.
Sources further added that the list includes five names of the senior-most military officials — Lt Gen Asim Munir, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas, Lt Gen Nauman Mehmood, Lt Gen Faiz Hamid.
As per the official procedure, after approval of the prime minister, the list will be forwarded to the President for ratification.
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Minister of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto warned that the President shall face the consequences if he tried to stall the process of the appointment of the new chief of the Pakistan Army.
The Foreign Minister asserted that the constitution of Pakistan has conferred on the prime minister the right to appoint a new army chief. Bilawal Bhutto said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan wants to sabotage the process of the army chief’s appointment which shall not be let happen.
Imran Khan should let the process of the important appointment complete if he has the motive of democracy, argued Bilawal Bhutto.
Federal Minister for Defense Khawaja Asif last week said Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) has no favorite name for the army chief’s appointment.
However, later on Friday Khawaja Asif said that a consensus was reached in Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi.
November 22, 2022
Source: https://www.nation.com.pk/21-Nov-2022/pm-s-office-receives-summary-for-army-chief-s-appointment