A convict can’t decide on new army chief: PTI

ISLAMABAD: PTI central leaders Monday bitterly criticised the government over reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had discussed the appointment of army chief with Nawaz Sharif in London.

In a tweet, PTI Senior Vice President Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the decision about appointment of the army chief by a convicted criminal was against the dignity and respect of the army.

He noted that PMLN ministers were saying that Shehbaz and Nawaz had met in London concerning the appointment of new army chief and Nawaz Sharif will make a decision. By doing so, Shehbaz Sharif was violating his oath, he added.

Fawad said the people kept the Pakistan Army close to their heart. The decision by a convicted person to appoint the head of this institution is against the dignity and respect of the army and the PTI strongly protests this serious legal violation, he added.

In a statement, Central Senior Vice President PTI Dr Shireen Mazari said the appointment of the army chief was a very serious matter at the state level. She said Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister was bound by the Official Secret Act.

“How can a judicially convicted person make such an important state appointment?” Dr Mazari also shared a screenshot of Khurram Dastgir’s tweet saying it was proof that a convicted person in London was taking important decisions of Pakistan.

She tweeted that this was exactly what Imran Khan had expressed his concerns, on which he was targeted by the ‘imported government’ and its handlers! But that turned out to be true, a criminal taking important decisions about sensitive institutions is in complete violation of the Official Secrets Act, she noted.