Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Defence Ministry is likely to send a summary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif regarding new appointments in the Pakistan Army. Sources privy to the development said Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Zameerul Hassan Shah would send the names of four senior-most lieutenant generals to Nawaz for the appointment of new chairman joint chiefs of staff committee and chief of the army staff. Sources said Nawaz has consulted his family in this regard. He would host a farewell reception in the honour of the outgoing Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mehmood and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. The Prime Minister’s House has started arrangements for this ceremony which will be attended by federal cabinet and parliamentary leaders as well, PM’s House sources told Daily Times. They also said General Raheel Sharif is visiting army and ranger units and meeting soldiers and officers, which shows that he is not interested in an extension in his tenure. Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Zubair Mehmood Hayat is the senior most at the moment. He may be appointed as the new chairman joint chief of staff committee if decision taken on seniority. Lieutenant General Najibullah follows Zubair, but Najib has not commanded the corps. Multan Corps Commander Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem, Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lieutenant General Mustafa Javed Ramday and Training and Evaluation Inspector General Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa are strong candidates for the army chief’s office.