PTI long march an attempt to influence army chief appointment: Shahid Khaqan

PML-N Vice President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claimed Tuesday that PTI’s long march to Islamabad was an attempt to influence the next army chief’s appointment, Aaj News reported.

Speaking in Jhelum, Abbasi said: “Imran has done nothing but utter curses for the last six months.”

He claimed that Imran had threatened to enter Rawalpindi on November 26 just when the appointment of the army chief was about to be decided.

“Only the prime minister has the right to this decision,” Abbasi added.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the process of appointment of the next chief of army staff (COAS) had begun.

Process for appointment of next COAS has begun: Khawaja Asif

In a tweet, Asif wrote that "the process of appointment to the highest position of Pakistan Army has started today, soon the appointment will be completed as per the constitutional requirements."

Speaking to the media on Monday, the defence minister said that no summary had been received until now and "there was no deadlock with regard to the names for next COAS."

"We will start discussions to finalise the name when we receive the summary," he said.

"The armed forces will also be taken into confidence before finalisation of the name of the next COAS."

Earlier, Aaj News reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received the summary on Monday pertaining to the appointment of the next COAS of Pakistan. According to it, the document contains the names of 5-6 senior army officials along with their credentials and details.

Last week, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that PTI Chairman Imran Khan wanted to make the appointment of a new army chief controversial and he was looking to sabotage the process.

“Imran fixed the date of the long march and gathering in Rawalpindi close to the day of appointment of the new COAS,” he stressed. “Imran wants to politicize and make the appointment of the new army chief controversial.”

He urged Imran to postpone long march and let the process of appointment of new army chief complete.

He claimed that Imran wants to stop institutions to play their democratic role. “He wants to play undemocratic games but we will stop him,” he said.