‘First army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan’: PM Shehbaz lends support to COAS Munir

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, in a series of tweets, has lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, slamming his criticism of the establishment and current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.

This man Niazi is stooping to unprecedented lows in his desperation for power & going to the extent of damaging the country & undermining our armed forces & their leadership. /2 https://t.co/Tt1SfhylXv

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 20, 2023

Calling out Khan, Shehbaz Sharif wrote, “PTI’s disgusting smear campaign against COAS Munir at the behest of Imran Niazi is deserving of the strongest condemnation”, adding that “Khan is going to the extent of damaging the country and undermining our armed forces and their leadership.”

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Shehbaz strongly condemned the “vile campaign” against the Pakistan army and COAS Munir and called on overseas Pakistanis to raise their voice against it.

Referring to the COAS as the “first army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan”, Shehbaz Sharif stressed that such a campaign could only be the agenda of the enemies of the country.

He said that “toxic politics” was being spread through overseas Pakistanis.

The premier called on patriotic Pakistanis living abroad to raise their voices against the “foreign-funded campaign” and not become a part of such conspiracies.

In response, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the statement is only to create distance between the people and the army so “PDM can continue looting”.

On the behalf of the party, he clarfied that the party wishes well to the army chief.

اس بیان کا مقصد صرف عوام اور فوج کے درمیان فاصلے پیدا کرنا ہے، تا کہ عوام اور فوج متحارب ہوں اور PDM اس آڑ میں لوٹ مار جاری رکھ سکیں، تحریک انصاف موجودہ آرمی چیف کیلئے نیک خواہشات رکھتی ہے ہم چاھتے ہیں چیف الیکشن کروانے میں الیکشن کمیشن کی مدد کریں اور پاکستان کا ماحول بہتر ہو https://t.co/dppyyFRGZl

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 20, 2023

A day earlier, hundreds of Pakistanis Americans gathered outside the White House, in the United States (US) to demand an end to the government’s actions against Imran.

During the demonstration, one of the protesters said that the “establishment must realise its mistake”.

On March 3, the PTI chief said that he is ready to hold talks with the COAS for the sake of the country, claiming that the army chief considers Imran his enemy.