ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has rejected suggestions of extending Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure till the next elections, saying the government should defer the appointment of the army chief until new elections.
The former prime minister had urged the nomination of an army leader be postponed until the new government is elected, which would then choose the next military head, during a speech to a private TV channel a day earlier.
“I have always preached about merit. I have previously stated that the army chief should be chosen on merit, but Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari are ineligible to ratify such a crucial appointment.” Khan said while talking journalists on Tuesday.
The former premier clarified his comment during an interview with a private TV channel saying I had not talked about the extension of COAS. I only asked the government to defer the important appointment until new elections.
“I am waiting for the arrival of Nawaz Sharif [Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid] in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif will remember the welcome when he will arrive in Pakistan.”
Khan confirmed that PTI protest date would be announced this month.
“The country is with me; if I call, people will rush to the streets.” Khan said.
The PTI chairman criticized that 20 FIRs including terrorism case were lodged against him when he demanded legal action. “People cannot find such examples from [military dictator] Zia-ul-Haq’s era. Pervez Musharraf’s era was a relatively liberal one as compared with today.”
Khan said that a few persons were damaging the whole country just for their personal gains. He hinted at revealing the names of those people.
He added that the PTI core committee members had been instructed not to stay quiet anymore. Khan vowed that they would make no effort to change their position.
Regarding the alleged political escapade of PTI rivals in Punjab, Imran Khan stated that any attempt to overthrow the current Punjab government would be a plot to create anarchy.
He asserted that the PTI would not tolerate any delay and that new elections were the only way to put an end to Pakistan’s political unrest. He continued by saying that he opposed postponing the new elections till March.
