RAWALPINDI – The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday tookstrong exception to the recent remarks by PTI Chairman Imran Khan regardingthe appointment of the new army chief.
The military’s media wing said that it was “aghast at the defamatory anduncalled for” statement about the institution’s senior leadership.
“Regrettably, an attempt has been made to discredit and undermine seniorleadership of Pakistan Army at a time when the institution is laying livesfor the security and safety of the people of Pakistan every day.
“Senior politicians trying to stir controversies on the appointment of thechief of army staff (COAS), the procedure for which is well defined in theconstitution, is most unfortunate and disappointing,” the ISPR said.
It went on to say that the army’s senior leadership had a decades-long,impeccable and meritorious service to prove its patriotic and professionalcredentials beyond any doubt.
“Politicising the senior leadership of Pakistan Army and scandalising theprocess of selection of [the] COAS is neither in the interest of the stateof Pakistan nor of the institution. Pakistan Army reiterates its commitmentto uphold the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” thestatement concluded.
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In a public rally in Faisalabad, the PTI chairman called out thegovernment, saying that it was delaying the elections to appoint an armychief of its own and that if a “patriotic chief of army staff comes in, hewill not spare the incumbent rulers.”
The PTI chairman said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and formerpremier Nawaz Sharif “feared” a strong and patriotic army chief, who couldhold them accountable for the looted money they had stashed abroad.
The former prime minister said a new army chief was going to be appointedin November this year, and they [Zaradri and Nawaz] jointly wanted toappoint a favourite [general] as the next army chief.
