Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the process of nomination for the new army Chief will likely begin at the end of this month or the beginning of November.
While addressing the media Defence Minister said “An outgoing chief should have time to interact with his troops,”
“The statement from the COAS has removed ambiguity surrounding the matter,” he added.
“I don’t know who is accompanying the army chief on the visit,” replied a question he said. “In my view, all three-star Generals are eligible to become COAS, but the names from the GHQ have their own weightage,” the defense minister said.
He said, no decision has yet been taken about, who will be the Army Chief. A list of five names sent by GHQ “Anyone from these five can be appointed,” he said. “In the past, anyone not from the five names has also been appointed,”
While talking to the media he takes a jibe at Imran khan and said “We struggled in four tenures of dictatorships to make the institutions neutral. Imran Khan today said that the nation will not forgive when they are complying with the constitution,”
“Imran Khan is not a political worker or politician thus he is lacking tolerance. Politicians when deprived of power, they don’t use this language. We are political workers and have some traditions,”
“There is an environment of terrorism in the northern region, our military is fighting today against terrorism. It is the duty of the nation to stand by its armed forces,” Defence Minister said.
