No consultation on COAS tenure extension yet: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said it was too early to discuss possible extension to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa or his successor.

In an interview, Qureshi was asked about the government's plan when General Bajwa's three-year service term ends in November. There is speculation in the media that General Bajwa's tenure may be extended.

Qureshi said it was untimely to have such discussions as November was months away. “I believe this is the prime minister’s prerogative. And when he deems it suitable, he will make an appropriate decision,” Qureshi was quoted as saying in the interview.

The minister said there is no issue in Pakistan on which the present government has not taken the Pakistan Army into confidence. He said the government’s come and go, but the armed forces are fully loyal with the country.

About failure of the oppositions no-confidence move against the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Qureshi said the opposition moved against Sanjrani due to its majority, but it ignored the fact that many of its members were not agreeing to the stand of their parties. He claims that he knows some senators of the PML-N who were against the no-confidence motion. He said the opposition should do some soul-searching instead of blaming the government.