According to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Shehbaz Sharif has the authority to name the next army chief and no discussions have yet taken place in this regard.
The minister made it clear that no decision regarding the appointment of the army chief has yet been made while speaking to journalists on Monday at Parliament House in Islamabad.
The statement from the defence minister came as the choice of the nation’s next army chief continued to dominate the political discussion, despite the government’s attempts to emphasise that it would be done by the Constitution.
Amid widespread speculations, the upcoming change of guard has become mired in controversy.
Confusion and rumours about the matter increased as a result of Prime Minister Shehbaz’s prolonged stay in London with his top advisers, supposedly to discuss the important meeting and other matters of national importance with his elder brother Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister has the right to place circumstances on the selection of the army chief. But to date, there hasn’t been any consultation on the topic,” the minister continued.
Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI, was mocked by Asif for what appeared to be a U-turn on the “foreign conspiracy narrative,” asking, “Is this the first time he’s doing this? How many things have been said in the last four years? Has Imran Khan taken a position on anything? He turns away from everything.”
He remarked, “Imran Khan himself does not remember what state he is in and what he says.”
