Pakistan PM office receives names of 6 Generals of Army for new Army chief, COAS

Pakistan's Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar on Tuesday announced that the country's General Headquarters (GHQ) dispatched a summary of names recommended by Pakistan's Ministry of Defence to the Prime Minister's Office. The name was recommended to appoint a new army chief and chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan. 

“GHQ has forwarded the summary for Selection of CJCSC and COAS, containing names of 6 senior most Lt Gens, to MoD,” the DG ISPR said in a tweet on Tuesday.  The list, according to reports from Pakistan's leading newspapers, also contains the names of six senior-most lieutenant generals of the Pakistan Army.

“GHQ has forwarded the summary for selection of CJCSC [Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee] and COAS, containing names of six senior most Lt Gens including: Lt-Gen Asim Munir, Lt-Gen Sahir Shamshad, Lt-Gen Azhar Abbas, Lt-Gen Nauman Zakria, Lt-Gen Faiz Hamid and Lt-Gen Amir Raza, to MoD,” the ISPR said in a statement.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, although, appeared to deny the Pakistani media reports claiming that the Prime Minister's Office did not receive any such summary from the Ministry of Defence for the appointment of the army. In a tweet, the Pakistani minister stated that the statement attributed to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was not authentic. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb noted that an official announcement will be made after the summary is viewed.

“The process for appointment of the highest posts of army has started from today. By the grace of God, it will be completed soon, by fulfilling all constitutional requirements,” Asif tweeted.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif hasn't received summary yet

Pakistan's Defence Minister Asif meanwhile stressed that Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has not received the summary yet. It was also reported on Tuesday, that before the summary was sent, Gen Bajwa held a meeting with Pakistan Premier Sharif and held a discussion on the matter. Pakistan SAPM Fahd Husain refused to confirm whether such a meeting took place. 

Earlier yesterday, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced that a process to appoint the new army chief for Pakistan was initiated. He stated that the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally wrote a letter to the Ministry of Defence seeking a summary with names of the potential replacements. “The process will complete in two to three days. The excitement will end, after which we will deal with Imran Khan,” the defence minister of Pakistan said in a televised statement. He also announced that a declaration relating to the new army chief would be made by November 26. On the same day PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan is scheduled to stage a protest in Rawalpindi.