Additional charge: Gen Kayani assumes CJCSC role

Gen Kayani announcemed that he would not accept further extension in his tenure and retire on November 29.

ISLAMABAD: Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Tuesday assumed the additional charge of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) following the delay in the appointment of General Khalid Shameem Wynne’s successor. Federal Information Minister Parvaiz Rashid told reporters that the office of CJCSC was not vacant as General Kayani will look after the key position till the appointment of a new head of the three armed forces. Kayani took the acting charge of CJCSC after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif delayed the announcement of key military appointment. It was expected that the new CJCSC would be appointed soon after the retirement of General Wynne. However, the government insisted that CJCSC and army chief appointments needed consultations and hence required time. t was believed that government was caught by surprise over the unusual announcement of General Kayani on Sunday that he would not accept further extension in his tenure and retire on November 29.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2013.