'No harm' in early appointment of next army chief: Pak President Arif Alvi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Arif Alvi said on Tuesday that there was "no harm" in the appointment of the next army chief before the expiry of the incumbent Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa's term later this year, according to media reports.

Pakistan Army chief Gen Bajwa, who was given an extension in 2019 by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by ousted prime minister Imran Khan, will leave his position on November 29 when his second three-year tenure comes to an end.

The next army chief's appointment is at times mentioned as one of the subplots in the ongoing political crisis engulfing the cash-strapped country.

"In my opinion, there is no harm in making the army chief's appointment ahead of time," Alvi told reporters here when asked about his thoughts.

"There is no constitutional role for the army in the country [for resolving political crises]," he said, according to the Dawn newspaper.

President Alvi rubbished the perception that his relations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were not cordial, saying that such an impression was "wrong". Commenting on the political turmoil in the country, the president said dialogue was possible only when all the stakeholders agreed to it.

"The President House can play its role only in this case," the 72-year-old president said.

"The neutrals need to remain neutral always," the president said in a reference to the powerful Pakistan Army.

Alvi said that as the president of Pakistan, he did not have the constitutional authority to ask parties to have a dialogue, Geo News reported.

President Alvi also emphasised the need for the political parties to find solutions to financial and economic woes faced by the country through a consultative process and to take steps to control the rising inflation in the country.

He said the uncertain political and economic situations in any country can spread polarisation in society which was detrimental to everyone's interest.

"Only a government that comes to power through transparent, free and fair elections can provide much-needed political financial and economic stability to the country," he was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune newspaper.

Alvi, a member of Khan's PTI, also said that he did not receive any directions from the party's leadership in relation to his official duties and conduct.