Current Final

Tag: COAS

  • ‘Martial law or elections – your choice’: Khan threatened to impose martial law, states report

    ‘Martial law or elections – your choice’: Khan threatened to impose martial law, states report

    Imran Khan, who was ousted as Pakistan’s prime minister (PM) on Saturday, April 9, had threatened to impose martial law rather than facing the no-trust motion and handing over the power to the Opposition, reports The Guardian.

    The news outlet writes, “On Friday, a senior minister from his ruling government sent a message to an Opposition leader that read: “Martial law or elections – your choice.”

    “It appeared to threaten the Opposition with the ultimatum that they should agree to Khan’s demand for fresh elections or he would bring in Pakistan’s powerful military to take control, as has happened repeatedly in the country’s history,” writes The Guardian.

    “Imran Khan believed it should be him or no one,” says the news report, attributing, to one figure from the Opposition who said he had refused the demand.

    The news report also states that the premier had attempted to sack Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in order to provoke the military into taking control and imposing martial law.

    “Imran Khan wanted to sack the army chief, but the forces received information about it and they thwarted his plan after they came to know about it,” said a security official on condition of anonymity. “Khan wanted to create a huge crisis to remain in power,” writes The Guardian.

    There were also reports that the COAS and the former PM had 45 minutes meeting in Prime Minister House. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)  has dismissed BBC Urdu’s story that claims that Khan was pushing for the removal of COAS.

    The Opposition’s no-confidence motion against former Prime Minister Imran Khan succeeded on Sunday with 174 members voted in favour of the motion. The magic number to oust Khan was ‘172’. The National Assembly debated on the matter for more than 12 hours and the political situation in the country took a critical turn.

    Later, PM Khan was voted out as Prime Minister of Pakistan a little after midnight with 174 votes.

  • ‘Ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees’: General Bajwa

    ‘Ready to move forward on Kashmir if India agrees’: General Bajwa

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday said that Pakistan continues to believe in using dialogue and diplomacy to resolve all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute.

    “Pakistan is ready to move forward on this front if India also agrees to do so,” the COAS said.

    “I believe it is time for the political leadership of the region to rise above their emotional and perceptional biases and break the shackles of history to bring peace and prosperity to almost three billion people of the region.”

    Khanewal Indian Missile incident

    Gen Bajwa termed India’s “accidental” launching of a supersonic missile into Pakistan on March 9 a matter of “serious concern”.

    “We expect India to provide evidence to assure Pakistan and the world that their weapons are safe and secure.”

    “Unlike other incidents involving strategic weapons systems, this is the first time in history that a supersonic cruise missile from one nuclear-armed nation has landed in another,” he said.

    Relationship with the US

    “Pakistan does not believe in camp politics and our bilateral relations with our partners are not at the expense of our relationships with other countries.”

    He said that Pakistan sought to broaden and expand relations with both China and the US “without impacting our relations with [either]”.

    In addition, relations with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Gulf countries, South East Asia and Japan were also important for Pakistan’s progress, the COAS said.

    Pakistan enjoyed a close strategic relationship with China, which was demonstrated by the country’s commitment towards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, adding, “Equally, we share a long and excellent strategic relationship with the US, which remains our largest export market.”

    Afghanistan situation

    “Pakistan recognises that it is the regions and not countries that grow. This is why we believe that peace and stability in our wider region are prerequisites for achieving shared regional prosperity and development. In this regard, our doors are open for all our neighbours,” the COAS said.

    The army chief cautioned that an inability to address the issues would “not only lead to a refugee crisis but will again make Afghanistan an epicentre of terrorism where [the Islamic State] with its global agenda flourishes [and] may result in more than one 9/11”.

    Gen Bajwa stressed the need for the international community to support the Afghan government. “The performance of present Afghan government is not satisfactory, to say the least, but we have to be patient and accommodative.”

    “While Pakistan shares some of the concerns of the international community, we believe disengagement with Afghanistan is not an option,” he stressed.

  • COAS Bajwa orders tight security for OIC meeting, PDM changes long march dates

    COAS Bajwa orders tight security for OIC meeting, PDM changes long march dates

    In a Corps Commanders’ Conference held at General Headquarters (GHQ) on Monday, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa ordered that the security in the federal capital must be increased and comprehensive security measures should be taken for the safe conduct of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) foreign ministers’ meeting (March 22-23) and the March 23 Pakistan Day parade in the capital.

    For the OIC meeting in Pakistan, 48 countries have confirmed their participation.

    Due to the high-profile events taking place next week, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reviewed their march dates. While talking to reporters, he announced that the participants would now enter Islamabad on March 25 instead of March 23.

    “OIC’s foreign ministers are our guests and it is our duty to respect them as they will remain in Islamabad till March 24,” Fazl added.

    PDM chief denied that the Opposition was copying the ruling party by holding the long march. He reminded everyone that they had given the call for the long march some three months ago.

    At the Corps Commanders’ Conference, the recent incident of India’s missile firing at Pakistan was also discussed. It was emphasised that despite Indian acknowledgment of the mistake, relevant international forums must take a serious view.

    Gen Bajwa also lauded the ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which is a major concern especially because of recent incidents.

  • Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum to take charge as DG ISI on Nov 20

    Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum to take charge as DG ISI on Nov 20

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan issued a notification on October 26 for the appointment of a new director-general (DG) of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum has been appointed as the new DG ISI and will take charge on November 20.

    Notification for the appointment of the General Officers

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan today.

    The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process between the premier and army chief about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI.

    During this process, a list of officers was received from the Ministry of Defence. Prime Minister interviewed all the nominees. A final round of consultation was held between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff today.

    After this detailed consultative process, the name of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum was approved as the new DG ISI.

    The designated DG ISI shall assume charge on November 20.

    October 6: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced a reshuffle in the army, in which Lt Gen Anjum replaced Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, who has been posted as Commander of Peshawar-based Corps XI.

    October 12: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday confirmed the meeting between PM Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and said, “PM Khan is the authority in appointing the DG ISI,” further adding that “all legal methods will be adopted in the appointment of the new director-general”.

    October 13: Fawad took to Twitter and said, “The process of consultation between PM Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa over the appointment of the new DG ISI has been completed and the process for the new appointment is now underway.”

    However, rumours started circulating that PM Khan wanted Lt Gen Faiz Hameed to continue serving as the spymaster for some time due to the critical situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.

    October 14: PM Khan convened an emergency meeting of the ruling party’s parliamentary group at Parliament House. Journalists questioned PM Khan about the appointment of the DG ISI. PM Khan did not answer the questions but laughed in response.

    Prior to this, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairperson and former President Asif Ali Zardari, made an appearance before an accountability court in Islamabad today, where journalists questioned him about the appointment of DG ISI and he responded with laughter as well.

    October 15: Fawad told the media that the notification regarding the appointment of the new DG ISI would be issued in two to three days.

    News started circulating that PM Khan would take interviews of the potential candidates for the appointment of the new DG ISI and that a new summary with names of candidates for the position of ISI chief had been sent to the Prime Minister. Fawad denied the news and said, “Prime Minister Imran Khan will just meet all candidates (for the slot of DG ISI).”

    October 19: Fawad said, “All the matters have been resolved” and announced that the notification of the new DG ISI would be issued this week.

    “It [Opposition] is thinking that there are some differences between the government and security institutions but its euphoria is gradually fading,” said Fawad.

  • ‘Indian propaganda only reflects their frustration and attempt to divert attention’: Army Chief

    ‘Indian propaganda only reflects their frustration and attempt to divert attention’: Army Chief

    244th Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) was held at General Headquarters (GHQ) today.

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, presided over the conference. The forum took a comprehensive review of the evolving security situation in the region with a particular focus on Border Management and Internal Security.

    https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/1445371952001130501

    Taking serious note of the defamatory propaganda by the Indian military, the forum expressed resolve to take all necessary measures to safeguard Pakistan’s territorial integrity.

    “The baseless propaganda only reflects their frustration and an attempt to divert attention from their internal contradictions especially gross human rights violations, being committed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK),” COAS remarked.

    COAS appreciated operational preparedness of formations and focus on training, including enhanced collaboration with foreign militaries and conduct of joint exercises in the operational and counter-terrorism domain.

  • CIA chief meets Gen Bajwa, evolving situation in Afghanistan discussed

    CIA chief meets Gen Bajwa, evolving situation in Afghanistan discussed

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa along with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed held a meeting with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Joseph Burns.

    During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security, and the current situation in Afghanistan were discussed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

    “It was reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for [the] Afghan people,” the ISPR said.

    The CIA chief appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, including the successful evacuation operation, efforts for regional stability, and pledged to play a role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

  • ‘Army chief agrees fake news, disinformation a threat to national security’: Fawad

    ‘Army chief agrees fake news, disinformation a threat to national security’: Fawad

    Federal Minister for information and Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and said, “Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, while addressing the Defence Day function, said fake news and disinformation were a threat to national security.”

    Fawad wrote, “This analysis is based on the truth, and therefore the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) is being brought to deal with these threats, as yellow journalism happens to be the biggest threat to freedom of media.”

    Representatives of media organisations rejected the proposed PMDA and termed the concept as an unconstitutional and draconian law against the freedom of press and expression and a step toward imposing state control to regulate all segments of media under over-centralised body.

    The Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement said that as part of its crackdown on freedom of expression, the government of Pakistan is seeking broad new powers in the garb of the proposed PMDA.

    Information Minister faced a hard time as members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting demanded to see the draft law of PMDA.

    Spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Marriyum Aurangzeb, demanded that the draft of the law should be presented for the establishment of the authority instead of a verbal briefing by the minister.

    Adding to her point, Aurangzeb said, “The attitude of the information minister was dictatorial.”

    However, Fawad Chaudhry said that some people did not want to have any regulations in the media industry, adding that Pakistan cannot turn a blind eye to conspiracies being formulated against it.

  • ‘Humble Gen Bajwa waits in line for omelette brunch at Islamabad Club’, meets PML-N’s Zubair again

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had Sunday brunch with his family at Islamabad Club and freely mingled up with other guests present there, The News has reported.

    According to the report as well as a letter to a local English daily by an eyewitness, the army chief of the world’s tenth strongest military seemed to direct the staff to remove all special arrangements that had been put up for him and his family ahead of their arrival.

    “At the omelette station, the waiting line was rather long. It was so heartening to see that Gen Bajwa stood in the queue (me and my family noticed with surprise and delight) for about 18 minutes before he was served with his omelette (no one wanted to give him his slot nor did the general ask for [it], he was totally comfortable),” read the letter.

    The letter went on to claim that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Muhammad Zubair, who had in the recent past made headlines for meeting military leadership despite his party’s strained relations with the establishment, and his family “were the only people who were not allowed to meet the general”.

    However, the PML-N leader rubbished the claim in conversation with The Current. “I met him with his family. We exchanged pleasantries for about 10 minutes. And that’s it. More than 150 people present there watched it all,” he said.

    “Why wouldn’t he meet me?” he went on to ask.

  • ‘Army chief had nothing to do with election rigging,’ ex-PM says

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart and former prime minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had nothing to do with rigging in the 2018 general election, which his colleagues among other opposition leaders allege.

    “I met him [Gen Bajwa] in November 2018 and expressed no reservations regarding rigging because he had nothing to do with it,” Abbasi said while speaking to journalists on Wednesday. He added that the meetings between ex-Sindh governor and PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair with the COAS were being misconstrued.

    Abbasi, who is among the many PML-N leaders booked for sedition over ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s fiery speeches against the government and state institutions, further said that the government was distributing treason certificates. “It does not matter what ministers say… Imran Khan is the one behind these cases.”

    Lashing out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he also said that PM Imran did not know that sugar was being sold at Rs110 per kg, he did not know that unemployment was on the rise, and was not even aware that CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] has been closed.”

    “Can’t believe he [Imran] thinks that people will buy it when he says he has nothing to do with the cases registered against the PM of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and those who served the country, including two former premiers and three former army generals… they have become traiters today.”

    Abbasi maintained that traitors were the ones “who stopped work on CPEC and added to the masses’ miseries”.

  • Defence Day: President warns India, PM praises armed forces, army chief stresses peace

    The 55th Defence Day was observed on Sunday to commemorate the sacrifices of fallen heroes during the 1965 war with India and to renew the pledge to safeguard the country’s geographical and ideological boundaries in every situation and at all costs.

    The day commenced with special prayers in mosques for the peace, prosperity and solidarity of the country and to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the protection of their motherland.

    The main ceremony was held in the morning at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to Radio Pakistan, where Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs Monument.

    A change of guards was also held at the Quaid’s mausoleum with Air Vice Marshal Shakeel Ghazanfar as the chief guest of the ceremony. A contingent of 46 cadets of the Pakistan Air Force Asghar Khan Academy took over guard duties.

    A ceremony was also held at the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

    In his message to the countrymen on Defence Day, President Arif Alvi said that Pakistan would never compromise on its sovereignty and security, making it clear that any kind of misadventure by the enemy would be dealt with severely.

    “It makes me happy to state that we have achieved self-reliance in the defence field […] We have thwarted external aggression; we have successfully defeated terrorism and extremism, and now we are on the path towards economic prosperity.”

    He said the day was a reminder of the spirit and valour of Pakistan’s armed forces and the nation through which they thwarted the evil designs of the enemy on this day, 55 years ago.

    The president said the nation saluted the martyrs as well as their families for their fortitude as they set a great example of patriotism by sacrificing their loved ones for defence of the country.

    “The spirit of September 1965 still lives in our hearts and I can proudly say that because of this, we have been successful in many testing times. Our armed forces’ professional excellence, combat readiness, and above all their unwavering faith in Allah has made Pakistan invincible,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that Pakistan’s desire for peace must not be misconstrued as its weakness, adding that the country’s armed forces were “fully capable” of defending the country.

    “The resilient nation and the battle-hardened armed forces of Pakistan have time and again proved that they are fully capable of defending the country and are fully prepared to meet any kind of eventuality,” the premier said in a series of tweets.

    In his message, the premier honoured the fallen heroes of the war, saying that 55 years ago, the nation and the men in uniform “proved that it is not the size that matters, but it is the courage and devotion that matters the most”.

    “September 6 is a day in Pakistan’s glorious history that is commemorated as a symbol of courage, strong will and unmatched spirit of sacrifice by our gallant armed forces.”

    Later, during an investiture ceremony held at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on the occasion of the 55th Defence Day, the army chief conferred military awards to army personnel for acts of gallantry during various operations.

    “Families of shuhada/ghazis, senior serving military officers/soldiers also attended the ceremony,” according to a press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    The military’s media wing said 40 officers were awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military), 24 officers and soldiers were awarded Tamgha-e-Bisalat and a soldier was awarded the United Nations Medal.

    The medals of the martyred were received by their family members.

    Addressing the gathering, the army chief said that Pakistan faced great trials over the last 20 years with war on the eastern and western fronts. He said that the country also faced natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, and the war on terror.

    General Bajwa said that thousands of people got displaced and many sacrificed their lives. He also noted that the country successfully fought against coronavirus and the locust attack.