Pak’s defence minister lashes out at Imran Khan for controversial remarks about appointment of army chief
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday lashed out at former prime minister Imran Khan for his controversial remarks about the appointment of the army chief.
Islamabad, Sep 7 (PTI) Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday lashed out at former prime minister Imran Khan for his controversial remarks about the appointment of the army chief, saying the top general has always been appointed on merit and the opposition leader should tell exactly when it was not done on merit.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is poised to pick the new army chief ahead of the retirement of the incumbent Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa by the end of November.
“In Pakistan, the army chief has always been appointed on merit. Imran Khan should tell exactly when the army chief was not appointed on merit,” Asif said while addressing a press conference here flanked by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.
Asif said that the military leadership nominates four to five most senior officers from whom the prime minister appoints the next army chief after due deliberation.
“Today, when Imran Khan is no longer in power, he is attacking the entire leadership of the army and deliberately creating doubts about the forthcoming military leadership,” he said.
The appointment of the new army chief has been in the headlines due to tension between the ruling coalition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of Imran Khan, as both sides are skeptical about each other.
Addressing a public rally in Faisalabad on Sunday, Khan alleged that the government was afraid of fair elections and delaying the polls until the appointment of the new army chief.
“(Asif Ali) Zardari and Nawaz (Sharif) want to bring their favourite as the next army chief because they have stolen public money,” Khan alleged. “They are afraid that when the patriotic army chief comes, he will ask them about their loot.” His remarks drew widespread criticism, including a strongly worded statement by the army, which accused him of making an attempt to discredit and undermine senior leadership of Pakistan Army at a time when the institution is laying lives for the security and safety of the people.
“Pakistan Army is aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for statement about the senior leadership of Pakistan Army by Chairman PTI during a political rally at Faisalabad,” it said.
The Islamabad High Court censured Khan over his anti-army speeches, observing that everything cannot be put at risk for the ongoing “game of thrones” in the country.
The court also warned that it would not be possible to uphold Khan’s right to speech under the Constitution over his remarks.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders in reaction castigated the remarks as “poisonous allegations” against the armed forces and “putting blots” on the appointment of the new chief of the army.
The powerful army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.
