ISLAMABAD: PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Sunday that President Arif Alvi won’t stop the summary for the appointment of a new chief of army staff(COAS), The News reported.
In discussion with intelligencers, the former foreign minister also maintained that there was no debate in the party on the issue of the coming military chief’s appointment.
“Imran has also clarified that the PTI has neither any favourite nor expostulation to the appointment of any person as the army chief,” the party’s vice president said.
“We’ve no differences with the institution or had any in the history. We don’t want any rift with it in future. still, the statement of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto about the chairman was uncalled for,” he added.
In a press conference last week, the PPP president made it clear that the country would only accept the appointment of COAS made by the high minister, who’s the only one naturally empowered to do so.
He said if President Dr Arif Alvi blocks the PM’s summary regarding the COAS appointment, it would need to be seen how he decides to go down in history, whether by upholding the Constitution or violating it and showing fidelity to his friend, in which case he’ll suffer the consequences.
Still, it’ll have consequences, he said, If he opts to block the PM’s summary.
The press conference came before the chairman told his close helpers that he’d follow through on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice regarding the appointment of the coming army chief, according to sources.
“I don’t have the legal authority to stop the high minister’s advice; I’ve noway obtruded in the affairs of the state,” President Alvi — a leader of the PTI — had stressed.
The discussion process
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that the name of the new army chief would come out by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Speaking during the Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, the defence minister said that the process army chief’s appointment will start on Monday.
During the show, the PML-N leader said that the change of command form would be held on November 29.
As the days got near to General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s withdrawal, before consulting the ruling mates on the pivotal appointment, PM Shehbaz approached his family, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif regarding the decision. In a meeting in London, both the leaders agreed to appoint the service’ssenior-most officer as the coming army chief.
As he touched down in Pakistan after his London visit last week, the high minister fell sick, but he has started consultations with the Pakistan Democratic Movement(PDM) leaders for the coveted niche.
The confederated parties have completely commanded the premier for making the appointment as per set procedures and traditions, sources told Online news agency.
According to them, PDM principal Maulana Fazlur Rehman dialed the high minister to interrogate about his health. During the telephone discussion, the two leaders changed views on the situation in the country and the appointment of the new army chief.
Sources said Fazl threw his weight behind PM Shehbaz, saying he should appoint the new army chief as per the set procedure.
They said a maturity of the ruling coalition leaders nominated the army chief’s appointment an executive and optional power of the high minister.
PPP and JUI-F leadership completely authorised PM Shehbaz Sharif to appoint the new army chief as per his wishes.
Source: Geo News
