ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would appoint the new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) as per the law and the Constitution.
“All three-star generals are equal and fully capable of leading the Pakistan Army.” However, he feared that if the matter of appointing the next army chief became political, it will harm the institution, he said in a statement on Friday.
The statement comes amid debate over the appointment of the new military chief which intensified after the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, confirmed earlier this month that General Qamar Javed Bajwa would doff off his uniform on November 29 at the completion of his six-year tenure.
Zardari said, “we strongly believe in the system of promotion in the Pakistan Army.” He urged that the matter of the appointment of the new army chief must not be “politicised” at any cost, which could cause “damage to the institution”.
Appointment of COAS is done on merit, says Asif
The debate is also linked to the current political stalemate stemming from former prime minister Imran Khan’s long march. Political observers are of the view that one of the objectives of Imran’s long march is to influence the army chief’s appointment though he has denied such claims.
According to the sources, the initial consultation process between the government and coalition partners on the high-profile appointment has begun. For this purpose, the sources said that the coalition partners have assured the federal government of their full cooperation. The consultation process took place during the meetings between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Zardari. Imran Khan’s long march and the overall political situation of the country were also discussed during the meetings.
New COAS to be selected from among three officers: minister
Former prime minister and the PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif, also held telephonic conversations with the political leaders during the meetings.
The sources said that the coalition partners urged the prime minister to take decisions as per the Constitution regarding the appointment of the army chief and other important matters.
They were of the opinion that the country will move towards political and economic stability if decisions are taken in unison.
In the meetings, the sources said that it was decided not to give importance to the narrative of Imran Khan and his long march. The three major coalition partners also agreed to work together in the near future, the sources further said.
According to the procedure for the appointment of the new army chief, the Ministry of Defence will send a list of the top five generals to the Prime Minister’s Office for the appointment of the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee and the chief of the army staff. However, the prime minister can ask for more names if he is not satisfied with the list.
The summary for the appointments of key slots in the military will likely be moved closer to the retirement date of General Bajwa. The formal announcement is likely to be made only a few days before the change of command.
Appointment of COAS to be ‘as per law’: govt
Following are the top five generals after General Bajwa: Lt-Gen Asim Munir, Quarter Master General, Lt-Gen Sahir Shahmshad Mirza, 10 Corps Commander Rawalpindi, Lt-Gen Azhar Abbas, Chief of General Staff, Lt-Gen Numan Mahmood, President National Defence University, Islamabad, and Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed, Corps Commander, Bahawalpur.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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