Army chief appointment: President withholding summary may create uncertainty, says Khawaja Asif

LAHORE: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Wednesday that President Arif Alvi could only withhold the summary about the appointment of new army chief for a certain period of time, but it would automatically become effective after 10-15 days even if the president did not sign it.

He was replying to a question by anchorperson Muneeb Farooq in Geo News programme Apas Ki Baat that what would be the reaction of the government if President Alvi would withhold the summary for the army chief’s appointment after consultation with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

Asif said Imran Khan said on Wednesday that he, along with President Alvi, would play within the parameters of the law and Constitution on the issue of the new army chief’s appointment. “It would definitely deal a blow to the official process of appointment of the new army chief, and create an uncertainty in the country,” the PMLN senior leader and federal minister admitted. However, he hoped the government would overcome that uncertain situation, like in the past. He said no good was expected from Imran Khan on this issue also. The minister said the summary for the appointment of the new army chief was likely to reach the President House on Thursday (today).