With the date of retirement of Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa fast approaching, the Shehbaz Sharif government is expected to start the appointment process on Monday, according to a report in Dawn.
The tenure of General Bajwa ends on November 29 and the appointment of the new chief is likely to take place before November 27.
The government, its allies and the military establishment were on the same page regarding the consultation process for the appointment, according to a source quoted by the publication.
The report added that the Sharif government is hopeful that President Dr Arif Alvi will not create any ‘hurdle’ in the selection process. Pakistani media reports have suggested that the president could hold up the notification for up to 25-days.
In the lead-up to the appointment, PM Sharif had stopped in London earlier this month to meet his older brother Nawaz Sharif. According to Defence Minister Asif Khawaja, the appointment of the next Chief of Army Staff (COAS) figured in the discussion.
As soon as the news of the meeting hit the newsstands, Pakistan’s opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and its chief Imran Khan trained his guns on the Sharif brothers.
He said the brothers were creating a spectacle by choosing the next Army chief in London.
“Today, a spectacle is taking place in London. Nowhere does such a scene takes place. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in London. What is the purpose of the meeting? Talks are being held on the decision to choose the Pakistan army chief,” said Khan.
“The important decisions of the country are taken abroad and by those who have looted Pakistan for the last 30 years,” he added.
Last week, Sharif created another round of controversy when it came to light that his government was mulling amending the laws to have greater authority over the re-appointment of the army boss and other officers.
(With inputs from agencies)
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