Cabinet nods to freeze Lt-Gen Asim Munir’s retirement
Khurram Dastgir says President Alvi cannot show COAS summary to anyone: The issues is same as was at the time of Punjab governor's appointment
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Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir has disclosed that the federal cabinet has nodded to freezing the retirement of Lt-General Asim Munir, who has been picked as the next army chief by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In an exclusive interview with 24NewsHD TV channel, Khurram Dastgir maintained that under Army Act 1952 the prime minister and the defence minister can hold any military officer’s retirement and ask him to continue his job.
The minister said that Lt-General Asim Munirk’s retirement has been held up under the law and the federal cabinet has given its approval to it.
Khurram Dastgir made it clear that President Arif Alvi cannot show the summary about army appointments to PTI chief Imran Khan.
“Legally and technically, the president of the state cannot show this summary to any other person,” he said and added “The word ‘secret’ is written on the summary and the president has taken an oath in this regard.”
The minister further said Imran Khan is not qualified to have a look at this summary. “If the president shares this important document with Imran Khan then serious legal questions will be raised,” he reminded the president.
Dastgir recalled that in the past the president had blocked the summary for Punjab governor’s appointment, but in the end the prime minister’s pick for the post became the governor. “The new COAS summary is like the Punjab governor summary,” he delivered his verdict.
He said it was now up the president to amicable settle this issue or add poison of political wrangling.
Reporter Awais Kiyani