Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has made a claim that Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) offered to conduct talks with the government through a mutual businessman friend, reports Geo News.
During a meet-up with vloggers in Lahore, the premier said that the PTI chief approached him a month ago and wanted to settle two issues through dialogue.
PM Shehbaz said, “The first matter was the army chief’s appointment and the second was holding elections. However, I refused,” he stated.
Shehbaz Sharif said that he instead offered Imran Khan a discussion on the Charter of Democracy and the Charter of Economy.
The prime minister shared that Khan offered to send him three names for the Chief’s slot and sought three from him to appoint the next army chief. The Premier said that Khan told him through the intermediary, “Let’s appoint the army chief together.”
“I sent a message to him [Khan] that is a constitutional duty that the prime minister has to perform,” said PM Shehbaz.
About the press conference by Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Nadeem Anjum, the premier said: “General Nadeem Anjum held the press conference with my permission.”
Earlier this month, Khan himself said that COAS appointment should be on merit. “COAS should neither be my man nor someone else’s”, said Khan.
This revelation has come at a time when the retirement date of current COAS, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, looms closer.
General Bajwa will be completing his extended term in November this year. He was appointed to this position in 2016.
COAS Bajwa has reiterated his promise to leave office after completing his second three-year term in November.
