LONDON – Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the general elections in Pakistan could be held prior to the appointment of the new army chief.
He expressed these view while talking to BBC. The defence minister said, “There is a possibility that the caretaker government will leave before November and a new government will come into power.”
Regarding the extension of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Kh Asif said that the army chief had announced that he wasn’t seeking an extension in his tenure. “I welcome his decision as it has closed the door on speculations,” he added.
وزیر دفاع خواجہ آصف کا بی بی سی کو دیا گیا مکمل انٹرویو اب سے کچھ دیر بعد ہمارے فیس بک اور یوٹیوب چینل پر نشر کیا جائے گا#Khawajaasif #government #armychief #elections #BBCUrdu pic.twitter.com/HLGszm3VDh
— BBC News اردو (@BBCUrdu) May 11, 2022
Khawaja Asif was responding to the interviewer after she brought up the impression that former prime minister Imran Khan was ousted over the new army chief’s appointment.
“Imran Khan wanted to do things his own way on the matter of the new army chief’s appointment. He wanted to ensure the protection of his political interests and the continuity of his rule,” he added.
Incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa will remain in office till November 29 this year, when his second three-year tenure will end. General Bajwa was given an extension by the previous PTI government in 2019.
He was then asked whether the entire process for Imran’s removal was because of the former premier’s “desire to do things his way”. Denying that this was the case, Asif said it was the prime minister’s prerogative to choose who he wanted from the list of names recommended to him by the army.
He noted that army chiefs had been appointed in 2013 and 2016 and the premier at the time had taken the decisions on merit and respected the army’s recommendations.
