ISLAMABAD: Following the statement of the Inter Services Public Relations statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the Prime Minister Office has received the summary containing names of six senior most Lt-Generals for the appointment of the top two positions in the military _ CJCSC and COAS.
Khawaja Asif tweeted, “The Prime Minister Office has received the summary from the Ministry of Defence.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the name of the next army chief would be made public within two days.
“I am asking for another 48 hours,” he said.
Meanwhile, ISPR said the summary of the senior most candidates for the top two positions has been sent to the defence ministry.
According to sources, the six lieutenant generals included in the list are Lt. Gen. Asim Munir, Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt. Gen. Azhar Abbas, Lt. Gen. Nauman Mehmood, Lt. Gen. Faez Hameed and Lt. Gen. Mohammad Amir.
It is pertinent to mention here that Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff are retiring from the post on November 29.
Khawaja Asif stated this in Red Line TV programme of Talat Hussain with Samaa TV.
Importantly, the statement of ISPR emerged minutes after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif rejected the rumours claiming that the Prime Minister’s Office has received the summary for the appointment of the new chief of army staff.
Taking to Twitter, Khawaja Asif said that the PM’s Office has not yet received the summary.
Defence Minister said, “Yesterday, we sent the letter [from the ministry to the military command]. Now, if we get the dossiers today or tomorrow, it is a matter of routine.”
Khawaja Asif also said that once they get the summary, then it is a formal move because then it has to go to the cabinet (for endorsement).
“Then the advice will go to the President, then hopefully the same day or the next day that will be sorted out,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a special meeting of the federal cabinet on Nov 24 (Thursday).
In the cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz will take all cabinet members into confidence over the appointment of the next army. PM is expected to share the name of the new army chief before leaving for two days official visit to Turkiye on Nov 24.
Other political and economic developments are also expected to be reviewed in the cabinet meeting. The agenda of the cabinet meeting is not expected to be disclosed until late on Wednesday.
