Pakistan Army Chief General Bajwa to Retire in 5 Weeks; Top 3 Contenders Here | Exclusive

Pakistan’s Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is all set to retire in five weeks. He was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016.

“My retirement is due on November 29 and I will not seek an extension,” he said.

Bajwa added that “Pakistan Army is neutral and will not intervene in political matters of Pakistan”. He said the Army will serve Pakistan only in matters of national security. “The Prime Minister will announce a new COAS soon,” according to sources.

Lt. General Asim Munir, Lt. General Sahir Shamshad & Lt. General Nauman are among the candidates in the running for the job.

STRESSED ON REGIONAL PEACE

Bajwa had on October 8 emphasised the need for regional peace and developing a mechanism for resolving all bilateral issues peacefully among countries, as he warned that the price of status quo will be devastating for all of us.

What was his last address at the prestigious Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, the COAS said the “world has changed, so should we as the price of status quo will be devastating for all of us”.

Without naming any country, the 61-year-old Pakistan Army chief stressed the need for regional peace and developing a mechanism for resolving all bilateral issues peacefully. “We must give peace a chance by developing a mechanism to resolve all our bilateral issues peacefully. Moreover, as opposed to fighting each other, we should collectively fight hunger, poverty, illiteracy, population explosion, climate change and disease, he said. The world has changed, so should we as the price of status quo will be devastating for all of us,” he said.

In the first week of October, Bajwa had told officials in the United States that his country is “ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees”, sources had told CNN-News18.

IMRAN KHAN DISQUALIFIED

Meanwhile, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has been disqualified from running for any political office for five years by the Pakistan Election Commission on Friday, sources told CNN-News18.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has been disqualified for five years under Article 63(i)(iii) for submitting a false statement in the toshakhana case, said sources.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has found him guilty of “not sharing details? of toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their sale during his time as prime minister.

On August 4, lawmakers from the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which is part of the ruling alliance, filed a reference for the PTI chief’s disqualification from public office under Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution.

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