Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir Wednesday felicitated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed his best wishes to the latter for assuming office as the country’s 24th chief executive.
During the maiden meeting between PM Shehbaz and the army chief, after the former was sworn in as the country’s prime minister on Monday, was held at the prime minister’s house in Islamabad.
The duo mulled over the army’s operational and security-related matters in the meeting.
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Shehbaz was elected as the prime minister on Sunday, retaining the title after his 16-month-long stint in the top coveted position from April 2022 to August 2023.
This is the second time that Shehbaz has secured the top office after receiving 201 votes against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) opponent Omar Ayub Khan who got 92 votes in a ruckus-marred session of the Parliament’s lower house.
Shehbaz’s victory was expected as he enjoyed the support of seven other parties apart from the PML-N. The PM-elect is backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and National Party (NP).
Army deplores election interference allegations
A day earlier, the army’s top brass, during the 263rd Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) held at Rawalpindi’s General Headquarters (GHQ), had expressed dismay allegations that the armed forces interfered with the electoral process after political parties raised serious concerns over the February 8 poll results.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the forum noted that the armed forces had had nothing to do with the electoral process.
“Some vested small segments of polity and media especially social media have been maligning the armed forces of Pakistan with unsubstantiated allegations of interference which is highly deplorable,” the statement added.
The military’s top brass also emphasised that that due legal processes be followed with evidence and proof rather than resorting to unconstitutional and uncalled-for baseless political rhetoric and emotional outbursts.
The corps commanders noted with satisfaction the smooth democratic transition of power in the Center and provinces. “[The] Forum hoped that the post elections environment brings in desired political and economic stability resulting into peace and prosperity for the people of Pakistan.”
