The Pakistan Army on Monday was aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for statement about the senior leadership of army by Chairman PTI Imran Khan during a political rally at Faisalabad.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that regrettably, an attempt was made to discredit and undermine senior leadership of Pakistan Army at a time when the institution was laying lives for the security and safety of the people of Pakistan every day.
“Senior politicians trying to stir controversies on appointment of COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Pakistan Army, the procedure for which is well defined in the constitution, is most unfortunate and disappointing.” It further added that the senior leadership of Army had decades long impeccable meritorious service to prove its patriotic and professional credentials beyond any doubt. Politicizing the senior leadership of Pakistan Army and scandalizing the process of selection of COAS was neither in the interest of the state of Pakistan nor of the institution.
Pakistan Army reiterated its commitment to uphold the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, it added. In his speech at a rally in Faisalabad on Sunday, the PTI chairman had said the coalition government was stalling the elections as they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their own choice.” He had said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif “feared” a strong and patriotic army chief, who could hold them accountable for the looted money they had stashed abroad. The former prime minister had said a new army chief was going to be appointed in November this year, and they [Zaradri and Nawaz] jointly wanted to appoint a favourite [general] as the next army chief.