Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said it was a tradition for prime ministerial candidates to meet before appointments to key posts such as the ISI chief, saying attempts to make the process controversial were unwarranted.
The process of appointment of new DG ISI will be completed soon. The game that a particular section wants to play on this is lost. Now it is being said that the Prime Minister will give an interview for the new DG ISI.
“It is customary to have a meeting before such appointments. It is highly unfair to make the process controversial,” he said.
Chowdhary apparently a. were answering report good published by News In which a federal minister is quoted as saying that the prime minister wanted to interview the officers who were shortlisted for the post of ISI chief.
“The source said that all procedures in this regard are being followed as per the understanding reached between the Prime Minister and the Army Chief. The source indicated that the Karachi Corps Commander is still the most likely option for the post of DG ISI,” the report said. stated in.
“A federal minister told this reporter on condition of anonymity that the prime minister wanted to interview the three officers recommended on the panel by the army chief,” the report said.
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PM Imran calls PTI parliamentary party meeting
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan called a meeting of the ruling party’s parliamentary group to discuss the overall political situation in the country and the situation in Afghanistan.
Those who attended the meeting included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Home Minister Sheikh Rashid, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill and Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament House in Islamabad after the meeting, Chowdhury insisted that “things are completely fine” when asked about the appointment of the ISI chief.
“The problem is that every hour someone or the other, in order to gain fame, twists some words [on Twitter]. For now, the process has started. There is no conflict between the army and the government. Everyone is on the same page,” he said.
Responding to a question when the government would notify the new ISI chief, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communications Shahbaz Gill said, “Don’t take that. [urgently]. This is serious business.”
He said the information minister would share the news with the media as soon as the prime minister “takes a decision” and urged the media to refrain from sensationalizing national affairs.
The interior minister, who was surrounded by journalists after the meeting, said the prime minister had given a briefing on the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, while the recently constituted Rahmatul El Alamein authority was also discussed.
Commenting on the appointment of DG ISI, Ahmed said everything had been “settlement” and the relationship with the Army was “excellent”. The home minister, however, declined to comment on who the prime minister would appoint and said “no talk of interview took place”.
He said such issues can arise and the prime minister is thinking at a “political level”. The minister also got very irritated after a journalist intervened.
“Don’t ask silly questions, don’t ask silly questions,” she said, pointing her finger at the reporter.
‘Civilian-military relations best ever’
Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Information Minister said that PM Imran had discussed the situation in Afghanistan with PTI MPs.
Highlighting the steps taken by Pakistan to facilitate the Afghans, he said, “Pakistan’s stand is that Afghanistan should not be left alone and humanitarian aid should continue.”
“If the world isolates Afghanistan, then as the prime minister told us today, terrorist groups will flourish that will harm not only Afghans, but Pakistan and the rest of the world.”
Commenting on the appointment of DG ISI, Chowdhury said the premier had once again reiterated that the civilian and military leadership were on the same page.
“[PM Imran] He said that he had close and cordial relations with the Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa and whatever [issue] Yes, it is decided by negotiation.”
He quoted the prime minister as saying that the relationship between the civilian and military leadership was the best ever. He said that the process of appointment of DG ISI is going on.
delay in notification
Following reported deadlock Amid the civil and military leadership over the issue, Prime Minister Imran on Wednesday received a summary of the names of candidates for one of the country’s most powerful slots.
A federal minister who did not wish to be named, said dawn That the Premier had received a summary containing the names of the office of DG ISI.
Last week, the military’s media affairs arm, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), had announced Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum was appointed as the new ISI chief while Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was posted as Peshawar Corps Commander.
As the appointment notification was not issued by the PM’s office for the next few days, this triggered speculation in the federal capital, forcing the government to break its silence on the issue. The information minister had said in a press conference on Tuesday that PM Imran and the army chief had a “long meeting” last night to discuss the matter, after which the premier took the cabinet into confidence on the issue.
Chowdhary tweeted on Wednesday that the consultation between the PM and the COAS on the appointment of the new DG ISI has been completed and the process of appointment has begun. “The civil and military leadership has once again proved that all institutions are united for the stability, integrity and development of the country,” he wrote.