Sharif brothers meet, Imran taunts, ‘next Pak Army chief being chosen in London’
2 min read . Updated: 13 Nov 2022, 08:55 AM IST
PremiumPTI chief Imran Khan said that the criteria for the next army chief's appointment should be based on 'merit'
Amidst Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to London to meet his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, PTI chief Imran Khan, taunted that the decision to name the next army chief of Pakistan would be made in London. Both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, have formerly served as the prime minister of Pakistan.
"Today, a spectacle is taking place in London. Nowhere does such a scene takes place. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in London. What is the purpose of the meeting? Talks are being held on the decision to choose the Pakistan army chief," said the PTI chief, in a video posted on his party's social media handles, in reference to Shehbaz's purported talks on the appointment of the next army chief.
"The important decisions of the country are taken abroad and by those who have looted Pakistan for the last 30 years," he added.
The leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) previously stated that "merit" should be the determining factor in the appointment of the new army chief. During the PTI long march, Imran Khan was quoted by Geo News as saying via video link, "Whoever fits the merit, should be appointed the army chief."
Khan accused the Pakistani prime minister of going to a "house made of stolen money" to meet a "convict" in London and criticised the PM of Pakistan for consulting PML-N leader Nawaz.
"This man [Nawaz Sharif] was reported to have killed hundreds of people in police encounters. They are going to decide on the next army chief. No one in a developed country can imagine something like this."
This news of Nawaz's return was first reported a few days after the Pakistani prime minister visited the PML-N leader in London after visiting Egypt for the COP27 climate conference.
Since he was elected prime minister in April, he has travelled to London three times. This visit occurs less than a month before Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa's term ends on 29 November, according to the Dawn newspaper.
According to the Pakistani daily, Shehbaz is allegedly there to consult Nawaz on the choice of the country's new army chief.
The political brawl that began when Imran Khan was forced from office in April by a vote of no-confidence has gotten worse over the course of the past few months as a result of the alleged assassination attempt on him earlier this month.
Another point of contention between the coalition government and Imran Khan's PTI is reportedly the choice of the new Army chief, in addition to the call for early elections.
The conflict between the PML(N) and PTI has gotten worse after the alleged attempt on Khan's life at Wazirabad in Punjab province of Pakistan.
(With inputs from ANI)
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