ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Defence has yet not received a summary from the Pakistan army containing names of top five to six Lt-Generals for the selection of new army chief as the incumbent COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa is scheduled to retire on Nov 29.
It is a common practice that the Ministry of Defence receives a summary from the GHQ with names of top generals who are recommended to the Prime Minister for the selection of new army chief.
In his recent statement, COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that he will get retirement in coming weeks as per the schedule and will not accept any offer of extension.
Quoting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, daily The News reported today that the new army chief will be appointed on time and on merit. PM Shehbaz, who is currently in China, however, neither indicate the date of the selection of the new COAS nor talked about the process which starts with recommendation of names from the GHQ, Ministry of Defence and appointment of new army chief after interviews of all the candidates by the Prime Minister.
As per practice, the notification of the new army chief is issued a couple of days before the retirement of the sitting chief.
For example, General Qamar Javed Bajwa was appointed COAS with effect from Nov 29, 2016 while his notification was issued a couple of days before the retirement of General Kayani.
Meanwhile, General Raheel Sharif was notified as new army chief on Nov 27, 2013, in place of General Kayani who retired on Nov 29, 2013.
Keeping in view the past practice, it is expected that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may announce the name of new army chief in last week before the retirement of General Bajwa.
However, political circles are also talking about a debate in the possibility of another extension in the tenure of General Bajwa though the COAS has made it clear twice that he will not accept extension this time.
According to The News report, it is the PM’s discretion to select and appoint the CJCSC and COAS and the process of initiating the summary for the prime minister, containing the panel, starts in the second half of November, unless the PM wants the panel early.
The following six Lt-Generals _ Asim Munir, Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Azhar Abbas, Nauman Mehmood, Faiz Hamid and Lt-Gen Mohammad Amir can be considered for the posts of CJCSC and COAS.
