Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who normally spends his weekends in Lahore, remained in the nation’s capital in order to make the impending choice. The official process to pick the new COAS is slated to start off “very quickly,” as the prime minister is expected to announce the decision very soon.
The process of appointing a new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is scheduled to get underway on Monday, according to statements made by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif to a private television news station.
On the other hand, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that an announcement on the new COAS will be made within the next few days.
The two ministers’ contradictory remarks show that the administration is under significant pressure, and some experts believe that this may be a sign of a potential impasse between the civil and military authorities over who would become the next COAS.
Official sources said that “closed-door conversations” were taking place in the corridors of power with all eyes on the prime minister to find a consensus among the stakeholders for the crucial appointment.
According to the further information provided by the sources, the procedure for the appointment would start “very quickly.” On the other hand, they did not comment on whether or not the decision will be made on Friday night or during the next couple of days.
It was reported by certain sources that the Prime Minister’s Office might make an announcement on the appointment of new COAS within the next twenty-four hours.
Even though the prime minister is the only person who can make the choice of the COAS, the coalition government is eager to engage all of the relevant parties before making a final decision.
This action is being taken with the intention of obtaining a wider agreement among the major stakeholders in order to ensure that the decision will be in the best interest of both the institution and the nation.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar held a series of meetings, including with President Arif Alvi, PPP co-chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari, and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in what appeared to be part of efforts aimed at ensuring a smooth transition in the army command. Hectic political activities have been witnessed in Islamabad in the last couple of days.
It was felt that Dar’s meeting with Alvi on Friday was essential since the president needed to approve the summary of the army chief’s appointment before it could be finalized. There are rumors circulating that the president, who also happens to be a leader of the PTI, may obstruct the summary at the insistence of Imran Khan, the head of his party.
After being diagnosed with Covid-19, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz were unable to meet with the president or the leaders of coalition partners in person. Therefore, the finance minister met with the president and the leaders of coalition partners on their behalf.
While Dar had a full schedule for the day, the attention was also focused on the Defense Ministry, which was required to provide the Prime Minister’s Office with a report that included suitable candidates for the jobs of army commander and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee.
According to the sources, the administration has reportedly summoned the defense secretary, who was currently stationed overseas, to initiate the process.
It is probable that the names of the five most senior generals will be included in the report. It is customary for the Prime Minister to discuss the new appointment with the person who would be succeeding them as COAS. On the other hand, the prime minister is not required to follow the advice of the departing army commander.
