On Saturday, Power Minister Khurram Dastgir stated that although Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would contact PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and his advisers regarding the choice of the next army chief, Shehbaz Sharif would make the final decision.
Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa Khurram Dastgir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will step down in the final week of November.
Since then, the issue of the new chief’s appointment has stirred up political debate, with the PTI and government trading barbs over it.
During a news conference in Gujranwala, Dastgir was asked about the subject being deemed “controversial” by lawmakers. In all of this confusion, he said, “There is only one thing that is clearly evident.. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is the one who will ultimately decide on this. He will speak with his close friends and Nawaz Sharif, but the choice is ultimately his.
According to the Constitution, the situation was up to the prime minister’s discretion, thus it didn’t matter who was having urgent meetings with whom, he claimed.
