ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the new army chief of Pakistan will be appointed in November this year according to the Constitution.
On Nov 29, 2022, army chief General Qamar Bajwa will retire after completing his extended term. Defence Minister stated this on Wednesday as army chief General Bajwa said in Washington today that he will leave the position of COAS after completing his term.
General Bajwa’s statement has ended speculations about the possibility of further extension in his term.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Wednesday that anyone from among the five nominated names could be appointed as the next chief of army staff.
He said the process of new army chief appointment would either start by the end of this month or the beginning of the next and that it will be done in line with the law and Constitution.
Khawaja Asif added that it was the discretion of the sitting prime minister to select any name forwarded by the Ministry of Defence.
He said that in the past, names other than the five suggested have also been chosen for the military chief’s position.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the coalition government leaders have repeatedly stated that PM will appoint new army chief according to the merit mentioned in the constitution.
However, PTI chairman Imran Khan has strongly opposed the appointment of army chief by the coalition government and he believed that the new government should do it after general elections to be held in August next year.
Khan also hinted at the stop-gap arrangement about the appointment of army chief but the coalition government has turned down this suggestion.
As per the existing practice, the outgoing army chief recommends names of five to seven senior most Generals and the Prime Minister selects one of them as the new army chief. This pattern is expected to be followed by the PM Shehbaz Sharif in November 2022.
