ISLAMABAD: In clear deviation from his previous stance, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that no “consultation” took place between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former PM Nawaz Sharif over the appointment of the new army chief.

“It is the authority of the PM— to appoint army chief—but no consultation—nothing has been done to this effect so far,” he told a select group of reporters on the sidelines of the National Assembly’s session at the Parliament House, when asked about the reported consultations between the two Sharifs on picking the top military man.

Just three days ago, Asif had confirmed the reports that consultation took place between the two Sharifs in London over the new army chief’s appointment.

“There is speculation in the media that a decision has been taken on the appointment of the new army chief in Nawaz-Shehbaz meeting in London. In this regard, the consultation did take place but the decision, Allah willing, will be arrived at after the start of the constitutional process with due consultation,” he tweeted earlier on Friday.

Rumours are rife that the federal government and the establishment have agreed to appoint the new army chief on “merit” and have the senior-most general of Pakistan Army elevated on the coveted slot. In this context, rumours are afloat that the Defence Ministry has sent names of three senior-most generals to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for appointment of the army chief.

However, Lieutenant General Syed Asim Munir, who tops the seniority list of the three-star generals, is retiring on coming November 27, whereas, incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will retire two days later – Nov 29.

Munir is presently serving as Quartermaster General at the General Headquarters (GHQ).

In case his name is overlooked keeping in view his impending retirement, the other three senior-most three-star generals respectively are: Commander 10 Corps Rawalpindi Lt-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt-Gen Azhar Abbas, and President National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad Lt-Gen Nauman Mehmood.

Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former PM Imran Khan, who is currently overseeing Haqeeqi Azadi March against the “imported” federal government, has slammed the incumbent PM for “consulting with an absconder” over the new army chief’s appointment. Khan has demanded that the new army chief be appointed on merit.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022