The Pakistan Army has announced the candidacies of six of its senior generals for the position of Army Chief, which will be vacated by General Qamar Javed Bajwa. This decision puts an end to the wait for the important appointment.
After a three-year extension, General Qamar Bajwa, 61, is set to retire on November 29. He no longer intends to request a further extension.
61-year-old Gen. Bajwa will retire on November 29 following a three-year extension. He no longer intends to request a further extension.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted that it has received the Ministry of Defence’s report for the nomination of the current Chief of The Army Staff (COAS) and Chairman Joint Chiefs Committee (CJCSC).
According to the statement, “The prime minister will decide on the appointments in accordance with the established protocol.”
The Army further acknowledged that it had forwarded the names of six distinguished major generals for the positions.
The six men are thought to be Lt Gen Asim Munir, who is currently the quartermaster general, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, commander of the 10 Corps, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas, chief of the general staff, Lt Gen Nauman Mehmood, president of the National Defense University, Lt Gen Faiz Hamid, commander of the Bahawalpur Corps, and Lt Gen Mohammad Amir, commander of the Gujranwala Corps.
Before November 29, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would choose two of them for promotion and appointment to the positions of COAS and CJCSC.
President Arif Alvi will receive the summary from Sharif and be notified of the appointments.
According to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, the selection process for the new army chief would be finished by November 25.
As part of his goodbye visits, Gen. Bajwa stopped at the Naval and Air Central office in Islamabad on Monday. Additionally, he went to the Rawalpindi Division Headquarters and placed a wreath of flowers at the Martyrs’ Monument.
The Chief of Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the highest-ranking official in the military hierarchy, but the General of the Army is the person with the most power because they have the authority to mobilize soldiers, make appointments, and transfer personnel.
In terms of national security and foreign policy, Pakistan’s formidable Army, which has dominated the country for more than half of its more than 75-year existence, has traditionally held significant sway.
The President is obligated to follow the Prime Minister’s advice, but he or she has the discretion to postpone the appointment. According to some media reports, the President has a 25-day hold period on the appointment summary.
The government representative, however, denied the rumors that the presidency could postpone the appointment.
Since many people think Imran Khan‘s long march was connected to the Army’s change of leadership, there has been intense interest in the selection of Bajwa’s replacement.
Two days before Gen. Bajwa passed the reins to the incoming Army chief, on November 26, he urged his loyalists to assemble in Rawalpindi.
Since the military’s media branch, Intra- Public Relations (ISPR), announced the previous week that General Bajwa might retire on November 29, the discussion surrounding the choice of the new commander has heated up.
The controversy is also connected to the present political impasse brought on by Khan’s lengthy march calling for early elections.
Despite Khan’s denials, political analysts believe that one of the goals of his protracted approach is to significantly affect the selection of the Army chief.
Following a recent private trip to London where he spoke with his brother and previous prime minister Nawaz Sharif about the matter, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif enlisted the support of all coalition members.
President Alvi’s involvement in the appointment process has gained attention after some media reports suggested he would delay the announcement for 25 days.
Read More: Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester united after a controversial second spell.
