COAS should be appointed on seniority basis like CJP: Fazlur Rehman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) should be made on seniority basis like the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), ARY News reported on Wednesday.

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the coalition government is bringing the country out of crisis. He gave credit to the coalition government for the whitelisting of Pakistan from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list.

He added that there are several issues in the country but policies will be formulated first. He criticised the opposition and said that politics and power should not be based on baseless narratives.

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Slamming the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, the PDM head said that he is now hinting at pushing behind his longstanding narrative of ‘US conspiracy’ and seeking pardon from the United States (US).

He said that Imran Khan’s false narrative has failed and it will be termed nothing else but internal aggression of the enemies of Pakistan. Fazlur Rehman claimed that the gun attack incident during the PTI long march became a mystery.

The PDM head blamed Imran Khan for becoming a reason for the postponement of the visits of the Chinese president and Saudi Crown Prince.

He alleged that Imran Khan is going against national interests. He added that the coalition parties will safeguard the country and the opposition must stop blackmailing the institutions.

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He further alleged that Imran Khan was declared wristwatch thief by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the former leaders from his own political party claimed the existence of corruption in the party leadership.

Fazlur Rehman said that the expensive wristwatch was sold out instead of keeping it as a memorial in the Toshakhana. He demanded to make details of all Toshakhana gifts acquired by all presidents and prime ministers public.

He also demanded to make appointment of the COAS on a seniority basis like CJP. He admitted that politicians made mistakes in the past. The JUI-F chief said that institutions should be allowed to take decisions independently.

READ: NEW COAS TO BE APPOINTED IN A FEW DAYS: RANA SANAULLAH

He added that concerns forums should be used to hold the institutions accountable for their mistakes. Fazlur Rehman said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law had been formulated by former military ruler General Retired Pervez Musharraf to take revengeful actions on the politicians.

Fazlur Rehman claimed that controversial clauses were eliminated from the NAB law by the incumbent government.

He said that politicians should get lessons from their mistakes and show confidence in the institutions that will empower them and corruption will be eliminated.