Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would use constitutional powers to appoint the next Chief of Army Staff (COAS) based on merit and recommendations from the Army.
The PML-N leader said that the new Army chief’s appointment would have to take place in November, despite the fact that there are still seven months left.
“When the time comes for the military chief’s appointment, PM Shehbaz will use the powers granted to him by the constitution to make the appointment; however, nothing can prevent him from doing so,” Asif said.
In response to ex-information minister Fawad Chaudhry’s statement on the appointment of the COAS, Asif questioned the PTI’s constitutional and legal right to prevent the premier from appointing the COAS.
Fawad had previously stated on his official Twitter account that while the constitution allows the elected prime minister to appoint COAS and other important appointments, the current government does not have the authority to make these permanent appointments.
In response to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s criticism of Chief Election Commission (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, the PML-N leader stated that the PTI wanted to appoint Babar Yaqoob but the Opposition objected to his nomination.
“After rejecting Babar Yaqoob, the PTI proposed Sikandar Sultan’s name for CEC, but it did not say that his name was given by the establishment,” he added.
“We have ousted Imran Khan from our votes,” Khawaja Asif continued, “and ended his four-year regime that was rife with corruption.”
