!["Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] will take a decision on the appointments as per the laid down procedure," the brief statement read.](https://thecurrent.pk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/WhatsApp-Image-2022-11-23-at-3.15.17-PM.jpeg)
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has confirmed on Wednesday that it has finally received the summary from the Ministry of Defence with a list of names of the candidates for the appointment of the new chief of army staff (COAS) and the chairman joint chief of staff committee (CJCSC).
“Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] will take a decision on the appointments as per the laid down procedure,” the brief statement read.
Military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement confirming the development late last night.
“GHQ has forwarded the summary for selection of CJCSC and COAS, containing names of 6 senior most Lt Gens, to MoD,” said the ISPR in its tweet.
It is believed that the six men currently in the running to be the next chief of army staff are (in order of seniority) Lt Gen Asim Munir (currently Quarter Master General), Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza (Commander 10 Corps), Lt Gen Azhar Abbas (Chief of General Staff), Lt Gen Nauman Mehmood (NDU President), Lt Gen Faiz Hamid (Commander Bahawalpur Corps), and Lt Gen Mohammad Aamer (Commander Gujranwala Corps).
Khawaja Asif, Minister for Defence, said Monday that the notification for the appointment of the next chief of army staff (COAS) would be issued by November 26 before the end of the tenure of the outgoing chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa – who retires on November 29.
The summary itself and the delay in its dispatch from GHQ has been the subject of much speculation as General Bajwa’s retirement date looms near.
