Asad Qaiser says giving extension to ex-COAS Bajwa was ‘a mistake’

LAHORE: Former National Assembly (NA) speaker Asad Qaiser has asserted that the then-PTI government’s decision to give extension to former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) retd Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was ‘a mistake’, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Speaking to a private news channel, the former NA Speaker said that the PTI government’s decision to extend the tenure of former COAS Gen Bajwa in 2019 was a mistake, adding that his party ‘regret the mistake’.

However, Asad Qaiser said, it was a ‘collective decision’ of all political parties to extend the tenure of the then-army chief. “The political parties have become basically dynastic parties with no roots among the masses,” he added.

A day earlier, Pakistan Muslim League (Q) leader Moonis Elahi said former chief of the army staff (COAS) General (retired) Qamar Bajwa cannot be termed a traitor.

In his interview with a private news channel, Moonis Elahi said he is against the approach of criticising outgoing individuals.

“When he [Bajwa] was giving PTI all-out support, he was right”, the PML-Q leader said, wondering how Bajwa had now become a traitor to them.

Moonis Elahi claimed that they were told by the former chief of the army staff General (retired) Qamar Javed to stand firmly united with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf during the no-confidence motion.

Had he [Qamar Bajwa] been against PTI at that juncture of the no-confidence motion, he just had to give a signal, and we would have been sitting with them [PDM], Moonis Elahi said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa retired on November 29 after completing his six-year stint as the COAS.

The outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over the baton of command to the newly appointed 17th Army Chief General Asim Munir.