Obligingly, President Arif Alvi has signed the summary and approved the appointment of Lt-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Lieutenant General Asim Munir as the next chief of army staff.

This development is widely seen as a move to end speculation that had woefully added to political uncertainty and undermined investor confidence. We must not lose sight of the fact that the forces that are inimical to the interests of our country immensely benefit from our political instability, poor rule of law, beleaguered infrastructure and absence of genuinely required education and healthcare systems. Hence the need for fostering political stability and social cohesion at the earliest. In this regard, it is heartening to note that the country has an army chief who recognises the value and imperativeness of a robust economy and viable political stability which are sine qua non of any country’s defence prowess.

Rashid Hashmi (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022