Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in London on Thursday on an unplanned visit to discuss key issues with his brother and party chief Nawaz Sharif.
He reached London on “a private visit via a private airline” after concluding his two-day official visit to Egypt to attend the COP27 climate summit. This is Sharif’s third visit to the United Kingdom since taking office in April this year.
During his visit, Sharif will reportedly consult his elder brother Nawaz Sharif on the most crucial decision which is the appointment of the new army chief at the end of November. The other issues to be discussed include the long march by Imran Khan’s party and the demands for elections.
“He will definitely discuss the important political situation and government issues with Nawaz Sharif including the appointment of the new army chief and long march [by PTI]”, the ruling party minister Rana Tanvir Hussain told a TV channel. “Nawaz Sharif will give [some political] direction and the prime minister will come back with clarity.” The process of appointment “will be hopefully finalised in the coming week” he said in response to a question.
Army chief retirement
There had been reports of another extension in the army chief’s tenure but the latest reports suggest that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 and would not seek an extension. Gen Bajwa was appointed as the chief of army staff by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016 and received a three-year extension in August 2019 during Imran Khan’s government.
Besides the army chief’s office, another key appointment is of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). One of these six most senior lieutenant-generals will be the country’s next army chief: Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt Gen Asim Munir, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas, Lt Gen Mohammad Amir, Lt Gen Nauman Mehmood, and Lt Gen Faiz Hamid.
Meeting in London
In his brief interaction with journalists outside Nawaz Sharif’s residence at Avenfield House in London, PM Shehbaz Sharif did not respond to questions on the appointment and said he had come to London to meet his family. The Sharif brothers are expected to hold a meeting with party leaders later on November 10.
Pakistani media reported that the two Pakistan Mus¬lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders decided not to bow to pressure from Imran Khan whose party is holding a long march to demand early elections. Nawaz told Shehbaz to “continue doing his best to take Pakistan out of the economic crisis” and “not succumb to any kind of pressure”, Pakistan’s Geo News reported.
