Process to appoint COAS begins; New army chief will be decided in next four days, Kh Asif

The process to appoint the new COAS has begun!

According to the Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif, the matter of appointment of the army chief will be decided in the next three to four days.

Khawaja Asif speaking to 24News HD TV Channel on Friday, said that the Ministry of Defence has not yet received any summary from the army so they have not forwarded any summary to the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Speaking during the Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, the defence minister informed that the process army chief’s appointment will start on Monday.

He added that the change of command ceremony would be held on November 29.

PML-N leader further added that the long march would suffer a serious blow the day the appointment decision was made.

Read More: Khawaja Asif dismisses reports of amendments to the Army Act

COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the incumbent army chief, is set to retire later this month.

On the other hand, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claims that the matter of the next army chief’s appointment would be settled in a day or two.

“I believe the prime minister has completed this process (of consultation about the army chief appointment) and will bring it to paper, today or tomorrow or the next two days, [it] takes no time,” Rana Sanaullah said.

“I will also request you that this is a matter of a day or two so don’t ask questions which can lead to unnecessary speculation,” adding there “is not a lot of time left to this decision and it will come before you,” he added.

The interior minister said that a further delay in the matter would not be “appropriate” and the next army chief would be appointed in the next two days.

He also alleged that the purpose of PTI’s march to Islamabad was the army chief’s appointment, rather than snap elections.

“The long march is not really present anywhere — it’s only in the media,” he added.

While, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar called on President Dr. Arif Alvi in the President’s House in Islamabad a day earlier.

As reported, Dar conveyed a special message to the President concerning the appointment of the new army chief and ending the deadlock on the country’s constitutional matters.

President Alvi also said that he will follow through with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice on the next army chief’s appointment.

According to the sources, in a conversation with his aides about the appointment of the new army chief, the president said he could not create hurdles in the much-anticipated process.

“I do not have the legal authority to stop the prime minister’s advice; I have never interfered in state affairs,” President Alvi maintained.

Who will be New Army Chief? the million dollar question is keeping the nation on toes!

The debate over the appointment of the new chief has intensified since the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has confirmed that Gen Bajwa would doff off his uniform on November 29 at the completion of his six-year tenure.