ISLAMABAD: The appointment of Pakistan’s next army chief following the retirement of General Qamar Javed Bajwa in November has turned into another potential minefield in the country’s politics after the former prime minister and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said he would not allow his predecessor Nawaz sheriff and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari to choose someone of their choice, come what may.
Addressing a rally in Peshawar in the northwest on Tuesday evening, Imran defended his earlier position on the matter. Last Sunday, he accused the Sharif-Zardari duo of trying to bring in an army chief of their liking in order to protect their immense “looted wealth”.
The remark plunged him into a controversy, drawing condemnation from various quarters. The Army’s media wing released a statement saying it was appalled by the defamatory and unwarranted statement about the institution’s senior leadership.
Avoiding any response to the army’s retort, Imran blamed his political rivals for twisting his statements to pit his party against the army and justice. “They plan to disqualify me first and then turn Pakistani institutions, including the judiciary, against me through propaganda,” he alleged.
“Sharif is a convict and a fugitive. We will not allow a fugitive to choose the new army chief. The new chief should be appointed on merit,” the former prime minister said, adding that institutions are not strengthened only when appointments are made on merit.
Responding to allegations by the coalition government, Imran said those calling him anti-army had themselves targeted Pakistani institutions, including the
military in the past.
Referring to so-called ‘Dawn Leaks’ on national security, PTI chairman says Sharif and his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent message to India that Pakistani military supports terrorism although they played no part in it. Similarly, the ousted prime minister, Zardari said, through Hussian Haqqani, then Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington, had asked the United States to save his government from the military.
“Should we allow such crooks (Sharif, Zardari) to make such important appointments? No, we never will,” he said.
Imran released videos of ruling Pakistan Democratic (PDM) leaders, particularly Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to show that they had criticized the military in the past.
In an attempt to pacify the powerful military establishment, the former prime minister said: “My criticism of the Pakistani military is constructive. The army is mine. This country is mine. State stability is guaranteed only when institutions are strong.
He also released one of his old videos at a public rally where he was speaking out in support of the military.
“When the army is strong, the whole country is strong and we enjoy independence,” he said, a statement described by his opponents as his latest turnaround.
Addressing a rally in Peshawar in the northwest on Tuesday evening, Imran defended his earlier position on the matter. Last Sunday, he accused the Sharif-Zardari duo of trying to bring in an army chief of their liking in order to protect their immense “looted wealth”.
The remark plunged him into a controversy, drawing condemnation from various quarters. The Army’s media wing released a statement saying it was appalled by the defamatory and unwarranted statement about the institution’s senior leadership.
Avoiding any response to the army’s retort, Imran blamed his political rivals for twisting his statements to pit his party against the army and justice. “They plan to disqualify me first and then turn Pakistani institutions, including the judiciary, against me through propaganda,” he alleged.
“Sharif is a convict and a fugitive. We will not allow a fugitive to choose the new army chief. The new chief should be appointed on merit,” the former prime minister said, adding that institutions are not strengthened only when appointments are made on merit.
Responding to allegations by the coalition government, Imran said those calling him anti-army had themselves targeted Pakistani institutions, including the
military in the past.
Referring to so-called ‘Dawn Leaks’ on national security, PTI chairman says Sharif and his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent message to India that Pakistani military supports terrorism although they played no part in it. Similarly, the ousted prime minister, Zardari said, through Hussian Haqqani, then Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington, had asked the United States to save his government from the military.
“Should we allow such crooks (Sharif, Zardari) to make such important appointments? No, we never will,” he said.
Imran released videos of ruling Pakistan Democratic (PDM) leaders, particularly Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to show that they had criticized the military in the past.
In an attempt to pacify the powerful military establishment, the former prime minister said: “My criticism of the Pakistani military is constructive. The army is mine. This country is mine. State stability is guaranteed only when institutions are strong.
He also released one of his old videos at a public rally where he was speaking out in support of the military.
“When the army is strong, the whole country is strong and we enjoy independence,” he said, a statement described by his opponents as his latest turnaround.
