No consultations held on new COAS: President Alvi

President Arif Alvi has clarified that Prime Minister Imran Khan had not held any consultation with him regarding the appointment of new army chief, maintaining that he would do so when the time comes.

The president expressed the views in an interview with a private TV channel.

His remarks came a day after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa met him and the prime minister the same day.

When asked whether the prime minister had started consultations on the matter of appointment of the new army chief, the president replied in the negative, saying: "No, [the premier has not consulted me] but I think he will definitely [do] when the time comes.”

Also read: Army chief holds meetings with president, PM

The interviewer then reminded the president that a column was published in an Urdu daily stating that the premier had got two important summaries signed by him with regard to parliament and an "important personality" and that "no one knew what the content of those orders was".

The president maintained that he was not aware of any such development, adding that "nothing like that had happened because whatever I sign becomes public”.

General Bajwa's tenure will end in November this year. Last month, PM Imran had said that so far he had not thought about an extension in the army chief’s tenure.

The COAS tenure was extended for three years by the premier in August 2019, just three months before he was set to retire.