ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Tehreek- e Insaf (PTI) chief , Imran Khan, has
opened up another pandora box by saying in his interview that the army chief’s tenure could be extended till coming in of the new government.
The next general elections are due in August 2023 and army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, is retiring on November 28, 2022. If Imran Khan’s proposal gets through and next army chief is appointed by next government it would automatically bring another extension for general Bajwa minimum for 6 to 12 months.
Imran Khan “s suggestion is enfolded in many ifs and buts . However, his floating of idea to give extension to incumbent army chief and leave his successor’s decision to next government may not be just to toss the ball for public consumption. Imran Khan might have thrown the idea as his another card and it would have some subtle objectives also.
By floating the idea in his interview to a private TV channel, Imran Khan has
set a stage for another extension for general Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Imran Khan’s demand to defer appointment of a new army chief till coming in of the new government simply mean that PTI chief is intending to allow extension to incumbent army chief for at least 6 months .
General Qamar Javed Bajwa had already enjoyed an extension after completion of his constitutional tenure of four years.
He had taken over as army chief in 2016. As per the constitution , general Bajwa was to retire on November 28,2020. Then he was granted an extension for two years.
As per existing scheme , general Bajwa is likely to retire as Pakistan’s chief of army staff on November 28,2022.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR,) has already announced that general Bajwa has neither demanded extension nor he is interested in it.
Despite this categorical announcement of ISPR , media is debating on another extension for the army chief.
As yet ISPR is not responding to rumours regarding extension in the army chief’s tenure.
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