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ISLAMABAD, September 5 (PTI) In a rare public rebuke, Pakistan’s powerful army on Monday slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “defamatory and unreasonable statement” on the appointment of a new army commander, saying the agency was “shocked” His comments on the top military leadership.
Speaking at a public rally in Faisalabad on Sunday, Khan said the government was afraid of a fair election and delayed voting until a new army chief of staff was appointed in late November when the current army general, General Kamal Javid Bajwa, retires.
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“(Asif Ali) Zardari and Nawaz (Sharif) want to make their favorite as the next army commander because they stole public funds,” Khan claimed. “They are afraid that the leader of the Patriotic Army will come and ask them about the spoils.”
The military strongly disagreed with his remarks and issued a statement accusing him of attempting to discredit and undermine the senior leadership of the Pakistani army at a time when the army is sacrificing their lives for the safety and security of the people.
“The Pakistan Army is appalled by the defamatory and unnecessary statement made by the PTI chairman against the senior leadership of the Pakistan Army at a political rally in Faisalabad,” it said.
“It is regrettable that at a time when this agency is giving their lives every day for the safety and security of the Pakistani people, there are attempts to discredit and undermine the senior leadership of the Pakistani military,” the statement said.
It added: “It is most unfortunate and disappointing that senior politicians have attempted to spark controversy over the appointment of COAS to the Pakistani Army, the procedure of which is clearly laid out in the Constitution.”
It said the military’s senior leaders had decades of impeccable merit, proving their patriotic and professional credentials beyond question.
“Politicizing the senior leadership of the Pakistan Army and vilifying the process of selecting COAS is not in the interest of the Pakistani state nor the institution. The Pakistan Army reaffirms its commitment to uphold the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” it said.
Leaders of the ruling coalition government also attacked Khan’s remarks.
Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif and other leaders of the response denounced the remarks as “toxic charges” against the armed forces and “smeared” the appointment of the new Army Chief of Staff.
“Imran Niazi’s vile rhetoric about malicious institutions is hitting new levels every day. He is now addicted to outright defamation and toxic accusations against the Armed Forces and its leadership,” Shehbaz tweeted.
He also added that Khan’s “evil agenda is clearly aimed at disrupting and undermining Pakistan”.
Former President Zardari said the country is now aware of this man sowing chaos at home.
“Today, everyone knows [who is the] man and beast. This man is determined to weaken the country, but we will not let that happen,” he said in a statement, vowing that the government would not allow state institutions and generals to fall prey to Khan’s “lust”.
Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal tweeted that Khan took steps to pollute political space amid catastrophic flooding.
“As the country grapples with its worst climate disaster, Imran Niazi continues to pollute the political space, push the country to extreme polarization and discredit all state institutions, including the appointment of a new COAS? His final What is the goal? More anarchy and chaos?” Iqbal asked.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif slammed the former prime minister, saying his statement on the appointment of the army chief was tantamount to disrespect to the armed forces who have sacrificed for the country over the years.
“Under the Constitution, their (officers’) only job is to keep the border and the country safe. It is not their oath or promise to shelter any political leader, and if they do, it will be a breach of their oath,” he said.
Gen Bajwa will retire in the last week of November after six years in the top job. He was originally appointed in 2016, but after three years in office, the then-Imran Khan government extended his term for another three years in 2019.
Appointing the Army Chief of Staff is the Prime Minister’s sole prerogative, and this is perhaps the only time his ruling has been accepted unconditionally by a powerful army.
The upcoming appointment is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. When Khan took power, the opposition accused him of trying to get an army chief of his choice to support what he called an agenda of hurting opposition leaders.
The equation has changed since he lost power, and now Khan says the coalition government wants to appoint an army chief to protect looted wealth and steal elections.
Whatever the political implications of hostile rhetoric, the fact is that Army chiefs are rarely silent bystanders in the country’s political game. The country has been directly ruled by military generals for about half of its history.
The powerful military has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half its 75-year existence and has so far wielded considerable power in security and foreign policy.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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