COAS extension or new appointment: Establishment throws ball in Nawaz Sharif’s court
PM Shehbaz Sharif has departed for London to hold consultations with Nawaz Sharif regarding the key decisions.
The establishment has thrown the ball in Nawaz Sharif’s court after the powerful circles divided over a six-month extension to the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa or appointing Lieutenant General Syed Asim Munir as the new army chief.
Sources said that the powerful circles divided over the name of Lt Gen Asim Munir for the army chief’s slot during the Corps Commanders Conference.
The press statement was not yet issued about the last Corps Commanders Conference. The top commanders mulled over giving a six-month extension to COAS Bajwa and asked the government to review the recommendation.
Sources said that Nawaz Sharif has been offered to return to Pakistan as a level playing field will be given to him. Moreover, he was recommended to give a six-month extension to the current army chief besides the announcement of the fresh election schedule.
The ball is in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s court. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for London to hold consultations with Nawaz Sharif regarding the key decisions.
Analysts said if the federal government accepts the recommendations, then the National Assembly (NA) would be dissolved and a caretaker government would unveil the schedule of fresh elections. The decision for the new army chief would be taken by the new government, they added.
It is pertinent to mention here that former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had also asked the government to give an extension to the COAS Bajwa and announce fresh elections. He urged that the procedure for the appointment of the new army chief should be made on merit.
