PM Shehbaz, Asif Zardari discuss ‘overall situation’ of the country,

Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that a decision on who will be the next chief of army staff would be made public over the next 48 hours. Khawaja Asif,

Islamabad_During the program on PVT Channel , Asif was asked about the status of the appointment process, to which he said that there would not be any undue delay in the process.“I am asking for another 48 hours,” he said.“Yesterday, we sent the letter [from the ministry to the military command]. Now, if we get the dossiers today or tomorrow, it is a matter of routine.”He added that once they get the summary, then it is a formal move because then it has to go to the cabinet (for endorsement).

“Then the advice will go to the President, then hopefully the same day or the next day that will be sorted out,” he explained.“The names [of the new army chief and the chairman joint chiefs of staff] will be public tomorrow or the day after,” he said.Asif expressed confidence that a “smooth transaction” would take place in appointing the new chief.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a special meeting of the federal cabinet for Thursday, November 24.It is expected that he will take all cabinet members into confidence over who his pick for the next army chief is before he departs on an official tour to Turkiye.

Meanwhile.

Former president and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed overall political situation of the country.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari was welcomed by PM Shehbaz Sharif upon arriving at the Prime Minister s House.

The PM thanked the former President for his visit and the two leaders also discussed the overall political situation in the country.

It should be remembered that the Prime Minister went to London instead of coming to Pakistan after the COP conference in Egypt, where he met his brother and leader Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and discussed matters relating to important appointment.

On reaching Pakistan after returning from London, the spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Federal Minister of Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz Sharif contracted Coronavirus for the third time after which he had quarantined himself at the Prime Minister House.

On the other hand, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Moulana Fazlur Rehman also met the PM couple of days ago and discussed overall political situation of the country.