Bajwa’s opposition to COAS revealed

Irfan Siddiqui says Nawaz insisted on following the seniority principle

ISLAMABAD:

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui has disclosed that General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was against appointing General Asim Munir as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), but Nawaz Sharif insisted on following the seniority principle for the appointment.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Siddiqui explained that General Munir was the most senior candidate on the list. Despite pressure from General (retd) Bajwa to appoint his preferred candidate, Nawaz Sharif asserted that the authority to appoint the army chief rested with the prime minister, in consultation with other political parties.

Siddiqui recalled discussions that took place when a summary for the appointment of COAS was being considered, emphasizing that Nawaz Sharif's decision was final. He further revealed that while the PTI, PDM, and other political parties had agreed to grant an extension to General (retd) Bajwa in November 2022, the PML-N leader vehemently opposed the decision. Siddiqui quoted Nawaz Sharif, who faced threats and warnings of a potential martial law, but remained resolute in his stance.

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Addressing the possibility of an alliance between PML-N and PPP in the upcoming elections, Siddiqui ruled it out, highlighting the bitter past and current cordial relations between the two parties. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, and his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have gathered in Dubai to discuss political strategies.

Regarding Nawaz Sharif's medical treatment abroad, Siddiqui mentioned that Nawaz's health deteriorated while in prison, which raised concerns among the military leadership at the time. Therefore, he stated that the decision to send Nawaz abroad for medical treatment was a joint decision between the military and the government at that time.