Khawaja Asif derides Imran Khan regretting missed opportunity to appoint COAS of his choice

Taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Monday said the deposed prime minister wanted to appoint an army chief of his choice — an opportunity he "regrets" not getting.

The minister said that it was the PTI chairman's wishful thinking to extend his rule for another 10 years through his missed chance of making the crucial appointment.

Addressing the PML-N workers' convention in Sialkot, Asif said that Khan wanted to bring an army chief of his choice who would allow him to extend his rule for another 10 years, Radio Pakistan reported.

The federal minister said that the PTI chief attempted to make the national institutions controversial, but he could not succeed in his "nefarious design".

Berating Khan, the PML-N leader said the PTI top leader, during his around four-year tenure in government, destroyed the national economy.

Khan used to say that he would commit suicide but not take loans, he said, adding that in the history of the country, no government took as many loans as the PTI government obtained.

The minister said the coalition government has been trying day and night for the last eight months to improve and revive the country’s economy.

Asif said that the government is determined and very soon it would be able to bring the country’s economy on the right track.

'Don't want army chief of my choice'

In September, Khan talked about the appointment of the new army chief and said he was only concerned with merit-based appointments.

Addressing a jalsa in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the former premier responded to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's comment that Khan wanted to "appoint an army chief of his choice."

Replying to Bilawal, Khan had said: "They say I wanted to appoint the army chief of his choice, but let me make it clear that I do not want an army chief [of my choice]. All I care about is merit-based appointment."

Criticising the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership, Khan had said that PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz was "incapable of telling the truth" as he once again accused her of keeping nepotism above national interests.