Security dynamics: Govt urged to extend COAS’s tenure

Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara throw weight behind separate Hazara province

ABBOTABAD: Leaders of Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara (TSH) have pressed the government to extend the tenure of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, saying it was the need of the hour.

They were speaking to journalists during a visit to the office of Abbottabad Electronic Media Association on Tuesday.

TSH Central General Secretary Sultanul Arifeen Jadoon said the country was going through a critical phase. “Pakistan is facing a large number of internal and external challenges,” he said. “The country needs General Raheel Sharif to overcome the crisis.”



The central secretary general urged the government to extend the service tenure of the army chief without further delay.  “My party will never support martial law as we [have] always struggled to strengthen democratic governance,” he added.

Earlier this month, a large number of banners cropped up across the country in favour of the army chief. The banners urged him to extend his tenure days after the COAS announced he would step down later this year.

On January 25, Sharif dispelled speculations that he would continue to serve as the army chief beyond November 2016 when he is due to retire. The army chief had insisted that he preferred to relinquish the job when the time was right.

Separate province

According to the TSH leader, the demand for a separate Hazara province originated from the grass-root level.

“The people of Hazara want a separate province,” he said. “My party will continue to strive towards this mission.”

Jadoon said his party’s efforts would soon bear fruit as mainstream political parties have also thrown their weight behind a
separate province.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.