Islamabad: As November 29 approaches, the dismissal summary of current Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is yet to be issued by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) under Rule 12 of the Pakistan Army Act, 1954.
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that consultations on the appointment of the army chief would begin after November 18 or 19 and clarified that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was not a ‘favourite’ for the post.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Asif categorically dismissed speculations of a deadlock between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and former president PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari over the name of the next army chief.
He had said that there is no question of deadlock on this issue when the consultation has not started yet.
However, for reasons beyond the deadlock of rumours, the process has been shrouded in uncertainty as the COAS’s retirement notification is yet to be issued.
According to the Supreme Court’s 2019 judgment on the expansion of the COAS, the process by which the then government appointed General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the Army Chief involved a multi-stage process.
First, the summary of the retirement of General Raheel Sharif for the Prime Minister was presented by the Ministry of Defense on 15 November 2016. The Prime Minister advised the President to promote General Bajwa to the rank of General and approved the retirement of General Raheel. Sharif on November 28, 2016.
It was only then that the MoD notified General Bajwa’s promotion and appointed him as COAS on 29 November 2016.
Earlier this week, PTI chief Imran Khan, referring to the appointment of the new army chief, accused the government of making changes to the Army Act “for its own benefit”. And added that all appointments by the present government were made for “personal gain”.
However, official sources while speaking to JEE News have dismissed these speculations saying that there is no plan that the President can comfortably block any such amendment or ordinance before November 27.
The debate over the appointment of the new chief has intensified since the army’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed last week that General Bajwa will retire on November 29 on completion of six years. Will take off his uniform. period of years.
This discussion is also related to the current political impasse arising from the long march of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Political observers believe that Imran’s long march is aimed at influencing the appointment of the army chief, though he has denied such claims.
Considering the past practice, the Ministry of Defense will send the list of top 5 generals to the Prime Minister’s Office for the appointment of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Army Staff. However, if the Prime Minister is not satisfied with the list, he can ask for more names.
The summary of appointments to key posts in the army is likely to be shifted around the date of retirement of General Bajwa. A formal announcement is likely to be made a few days before the change of command.
After General Bajwa, the top five generals are as follows: Lt. Gen. Asim Munir, Quartermaster General, Lt. Gen. Sahir Shahmshad Mirza, Corps Commander Rawalpindi, Lt. Gen. Azhar Abbas, Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Nauman Mehmood, President National Defence. University and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, Corps Commander Bahawalpur.
