PM to appoint COAS on merit, weak Punjab government may be toppled: Maulana Fazl

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the prime minister will appoint the future army chief on merit and the Punjab government was weak and could be toppled.

Talking to media in Larkana, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief said that the constitution had empowered the prime minister to appoint the future army chief and his pick would be on merit.

The selection of the new army chief has caused a stir among the political circles between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and coalition government as both have been exchanging verbal blows over the matter.

Maulana Fazl further said that Imran could “cry and scream” but he would not be allowed to interfere in the appointment of the next army chief in any way.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan had castigated PM Shehbaz Sharif for allegedly discussing the matter of appointment of new army chief with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif during their meeting in London. Imran had also taken a hard stance against threatening telephone calls that PTI supporters were allegedly receiving.

Fazlur Rehman also said that if Imran had any meeting with the army chief, that was fruitless. He further added that Imran has been finished as his politics had come to an end.

Answering a question about registration of cases against Marriyum Aurangzeb and Javed Latif by the Punjab government, the PDM chief stated that the Punjab government itself was weak and could be toppled.

Fazlur Rehman also spoke about his visit to flood affected areas and called for national unity at the occasion.