(November 23-2022)
Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said the appointment of the new army chief should be a routine matter.
Some elements have made the appointment of new COAS the country’s biggest problem which is not in the national interest, he said.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that amid political instability, economic decline, risk of default, business shutdowns and reports of a currency crisis, the issue of appointment is a matter of concern for the business community.
Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that the endless politicization of this issue is sad.
He said that the government should immediately choose a new chief of the armed forces so that at least one problem would be eliminated, which would reduce the political tensions and rumors in the country and it may improve the stability of the economy.
The stability will result in financial aid from friendly countries, loans will be facilitated and those claiming a default-like situation will get a befitting reply.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that currently the country is facing serious economic and climate challenges and the economy is drowning in self-inflicted problems, but the claimants of public support are not considering political and economic stability as essential and are playing their game.
The appointment of the Army Chief is a routine procedure, the process of which is clear in the constitution, but never in the past has this appointment been made as controversial as it is being done now.
He said that the government should also stop its endless consultation on this matter and take appropriate decisions so that the propaganda of irresponsible elements can be neutralized.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that in a country with nuclear power, this is a very important position for which the opinion of street boys cannot be given importance.
He paid tribute to General Bajwa and said that he is retiring after being the Army Chief for six years and according to his announcements, the army now wants to be neutral and away from politics, but some people do not accept this.
Some rejected elements are demanding the army for illegitimate help to come to power which is unconstitutional and illegal.
