ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday hoped President Arif Alvi would abide by the constitution on the matter of the army chief's appointment, as the government gears up to name General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s successor in the next couple of days.
Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 after serving as Pakistan’s army chief for six years. He was appointed the country’s chief of army staff in 2016 and in 2019, received a three-year extension in tenure by the Imran Khan-led government.
As per Pakistani law, the president appoints the army chief based on the prime minister’s advice. Earlier this week, former prime minister Khan’s aide, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, said whatever step Alvi takes regarding the new army chief’s appointment will have Khan’s “full support.”
Speaking at a news conference, Bhutto-Zardari accused Alvi of taking an unconstitutional and illegal step earlier this year to dissolve the National Assembly when Khan, then prime minister, faced a parliamentary vote of confidence.
“This is Mr. Alvi’s last chance. We hope everything goes according to the constitution and law,” Bhutto-Zardari told reporters. The minister said that if it didn't, the president would "have to face its consequences."
Criticizing Khan's protest march to the capital, the foreign minister questioned Khan's timing to head to Rawalpindi, Islamabad's twin city, right before the government is about to announce Bajwa’s successor. He accused the former prime minister of politicizing the army chief’s appointment, terming it a “dangerous precedent.”
“If we conduct politics like this, there will be sit-in protests after every three years [whenever a new army chief is appointed],” the minister said.
The appointment of the new army chief has been marred by controversy, with speculation that Bajwa may seek another extension in tenure. However, Bajwa and the military have repeatedly denied he would neither seek nor accept an extension in office.
Ex-PM Khan has insisted the coalition government of PM Sharif, cobbled together after removing Khan via a parliamentary vote of confidence, does not have the right to appoint the army chief. Khan has called for elections to be held and a new government to appoint the next army chief.
The process to appoint the new army chief, as per the defense minister, would begin from Monday.
