Imran Khan should support army chief’s appointment like all other parties; need to go ahead with consensus: Aitzaz Ahsan

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (SABAH): Senior lawyer Barrister Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan has said that President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi enjoys no special powers with regard to appointing chief of army staff (COAS) as he can prevent implementation on the summary sent by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif mere for 25 days; however, nothing will come out of it. He said that if all parties have supported the appointment of army chief then Imran Khan should also support this appointment.

Aitzaz Ahsan said this during an interview with a private TV channel. He further said, “I don’t think the President will thwart implementation on this summary and former prime minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan should also not make this matter controversial. A matter which can be dealt without generating any controversy should be resolved amicably.”

When all the parties were supporting the appointment of army chief then the PTI Chairman should also act on these lines while going ahead with consensus, he said. “I may have numerous differences with the prime minister of Pakistan but the prerogative of appointing chief of army staff only lies with him as it is in accordance with the Constitution,” he said. PM Shehbaz Sharif, after his signatures, sent the names to President Dr. Arif Alvi and not media needs not to make this matter controversial, he added.

All including Imran Khan admitted that either it is wrong or right choice but it is the power enjoyed by the prime minister to appoint COAS, he said and added the President was bound to act upon the advice of the prime minister in this matter as he can delay it only for 25 days. If this can be done smoothly then it must be undertaken as the nominated most senior general was Asif Munir, he said, adding this was a lucrative opportunity that civilian and army’s recommendations come on a single page.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that Imran Khan should ponder over the matter that what will happen in case the appointment was pended for 25 days as it will only generate a new issue that which was Constitutional or Unconstitutional. “What is merit? Merit is based on will of the prime minister in this matter. This is what enshrined in the Constitution,” he remarked.

He said if the prime minister selects the senior most general if he relies on the advice sent by military and Ministry of Defence as it creates logic which cannot be nullified by the court as well and continued the PTI will benefit nothing from it so it needs to accept the decision.