ISLAMABAD: Defence minister , Khawaja Asif, on Wednesday hinted at calling general elections in Pakistan before November this year. November has special significance as Pakistan will get a successor of Qamar Javed Bajwa as army chief.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, Khawaja Asif said “ Its very much possible that general elections are called in Pakistan before November and the army chief’s appointment is made by the next .prime minister”. He, however, stressed the need of making the appointment of the army chief institutionalized like the judiciary. “I exactly know who would be the chief justice of Pakistan in 2028 and the same institutionalized approach should be followed for appointment of the army chief”, the minister noted. He vehemently opposed discussing the armed forces’ affairs in the open.
Army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, is retiring on November 29, this year. Usually, the new army chief is appointed a few weeks prior to retiring date of the sitting ones. Keeping in mind retirement of the army chief in November, deposed prime minister, Imran Khan, is pressing the government to hold fresh elections in Pakistan without any delay. Initially, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) led coalition government had hinted at holding the general elections in the country in 2023. However, now rising political pressure of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) and frail economy is apparently forcing it to go for early elections.
PMLN supremo, Mian Nawaz Sharif, is holding parleys with his party’s bigwigs in London now on date to be announced for holding general elections in Pakistan. A group of PMLN senior leader including the prime minister is in London now to take advice from Nawaz Sharif on key issue of calling the mid term elections in Pakistan.
Khawaja Asif is an important leader of PMLN . His hint at early elections in Pakistan is extremely important. It suggested that PMLN is reading the political scene carefully and does not want to provide more time and space to PTI to keep playing with public in rallies. Khawaja Asif spoke on all important issues in his interview with BBC Urdu. He candidly responded to every questions asked by the interviewer. The minister said if lieutenant general Faiz Hameed’s name if recommended by the army will be considered like others on the panel for appointment of the army chief . The defence minister said “ Armed forces send a panel of 5 contenders for the army chief slot and the prime minister picks one of them and I believe the public debate on army forces should not be allowed as it can harm their dignity”. Khawaja Asif vowed to defend the armed forces if any one dared to target them for political consideration. Khawaja Asif referred Imran Khan’s case and called his anti establishment narrative as shameful. The armed forces and judiciary have their own ambit and they are not supposed to defend themselves in media on day to day basis, the minister argued. Khawaja Asif told the interviewer that he welcomes the announcement relating to retirement of Qamar Javed Bajwa. He said “ The announcement relating to retirement of Qamar Javed Bajwa halted rumour mills”.
Khawaja Asif dispelled the impression that popular narrative of Imran Khan was a threat to PMLN and it can harm its popularity in upcoming general elections. He said “ Imran Khan is swindling between religious and anti US narrative and I believe his narratives are short lived and so would not harm PMLN in the next general elections.
