Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has given full authority to the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) for the appointment of new Army Chief.
It was decided in a party meeting presided over former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad on Thursday.
The PPP leadership gave a green signal and said that the PML-N should appoint the new Army Chief, adding that they had no objection to it.
The PPP leadership said that it had full confidence in the services and capabilities of all army officers, the sources said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari are present in Islamabad before the important appointment.
Earlier on Wednesday(Nov 16), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said that he and the PTI were monitoring the developments surrounding the issue of the army chief appointment but are monitoring the coalition government’s moves.
He added that he and his party had backed off from speaking on the issue of the appointment of an army chief.
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He said this while talking to senior journalists in a meeting, adding that no army chief would go against the institution, state and its people.
The former prime minister said that they wanted good relations with the United States (US) and other countries based on mutual respect.
On rumours regarding talks with the federal government, Imran told the journalists that he received a message for negotiations with the committee. However, he denied the request and said we will hold talks only if the government announce the election date.
On Nov 10, the Pakistan Army put to rest speculation about its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa getting another extension, saying the Chief of Army Staff is paying farewell visits to various garrisons as part of the tradition.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is poised to pick the new Army chief after Gen Bajwa’s term is scheduled to end on November 29.
Gen. Bajwa, 61, is to retire after serving two successive three-year terms as the Army chief, but speculation is rife that he may get a brief extension to oversee the next elections as demanded by former premier Imran Khan.
However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army’s media wing, said in a statement that Gen. Bajwa was already paying farewell visits to various garrisons as part of the tradition.
