Islamabad: After the Prime Minister’s Office received a summary from the GHQ having the names of the six senior-most Lt. Generals to be considered for the appointments of CJCSC and COAS, an important meeting of the federal cabinet is currently underway in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is chairing the meeting, with federal ministers Khawaja Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Sherry Rehman, Tariq Bashir Cheema, and others also present at the meeting.
PM Office receives summary of next army chief’s appointment
The meeting also comes a day after the leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) threw its weight behind PM Shehbaz over the appointment of the next army chief.
The coalition partners on Wednesday entrusted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with full authority to make the all-important decision. The leaders of the coalition parties, including former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain among others, attended a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.
“Shehbaz Sharif sahib, you are the prime minister and the Constitution has assigned this authority and right to you,” insiders quoted Zardari as saying during the meeting.
Allies throw weight behind PM over appointment of Army Chief
“God has placed you in this position… it is your constitutional right,” said Chaudhry Shujaat.
BAP’s Khalid Magsi said that whatever the premier decides, he will firmly stand with him over the crucial appointment.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui also expressed their support for PM Shehbaz. “We have full confidence in you. This is your constitutional right. We’re thankful to you for making us part of the consultation process,” said Siddiqui.
