Gen Bajwa tried for further tenure’s extension but Nawaz Sharif refused: Senator Irfan Siddiqui

ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 (SABAH): Some people went to London by carrying the message of a few months extension in tenure of former chief of army staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa and tried to convince Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and ex-premier Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif but he categorically turned down this request, saying it was impossible at any cost either Martial Law was imposed, government was toppled or new cases were registered against them.

This was revealed by PML-N’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui during an interview. “When I paid a visit of London in October 2022, I held several meetings with Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Contrary to my expectation, the focus of meetings used to be extension in Gen (retd) Bajwa’s tenure than appointment of new army chief,” he said.

He further said that Mian Nawaz Sharif replied to the messengers carrying message of Gen (retd) Bajwa’s tenure extension, it would be better that he announces about his retirement through his own tongue and added after a few days after receiving this message, he [Bajwa] at a ceremony held in Defence University announced in clear terms that he was going to retire on November 29.

To a question, Irfan Siddiui maintained that ground realities were not in favour of General (retd) Bajwa. There was no difference between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif on the matter. PM Shehbaz was well cognizant of the ground realities. He further said in 2016, Gen (retd) Raheel Sharif remained active for extension even after giving clear message of his retirement.

To another query, PML-N senator replied replacing former PM Nawaz Sharif with ex-premier Imran Khan was an institution’s plan that began in 2011. Gen (retd) Pasha, Gen (retd) Zaheerul Islam and the successors propagated this plan. He further said extension was indeed a parallel plan which kept on working side by side the big institution’s based scheme.