Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that holding general elections before appointing a new army chief cannot be ruled out.
He stated in an interview with BBC Urdu, “It is possible that elections will be held before the [new] army chief’s appointment, in November. At that time, a caretaker government will be in place. It is also possible that the caretaker government will be replaced and the new government will take office before November.”
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will serve until November 29 of this year, after his three-year term was extended in 2019.
In response to a question about whether the PML-N-led coalition government could extend the incumbent COAS’s tenure, Asif stated that Bajwa has already stated that he does not want his tenure extended.
The defense minister praised the announcement for “closing the doors of speculation,” noting that the previous army chief, General (retd) Raheel Sharif, had not “directly or indirectly demanded an extension” either.
