PM, military leadership to mutually decide on next COAS: Ahsan Iqbal

Islamabad (HRNW) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the military leadership will mutually decide on the next chief of army staff (COAS) but for now, the extension of the COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa or the appointment of new army chief is not on the table, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said.

In an exclusive interview with Tv Channel, the minister also criticized the Imran Khan government for destroying China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects especially the Gwadar deep-sea port, which he revealed could no longer dock larger ships after falling to neglect under the PTI government.

Ahsan Iqbal said the Imran Khan government did not spend a single dollar on Gwadar although China allocated $123 million for the cleaning of the silt.

For four years, the maritime affairs authorities kept requesting for funds to carry out maintenance dredging but in vain, he said.

The depth of Gwadar port had dropped from 14 meters to 11 meters, he said.

He added that the current government has now tasked the Pakistan Navy with dredging the port, but until the operation is completed no big ship could dock at Gwadar port.

Talking about the appointment of new COAS due in November, he said Imran Khan was making institutions controversial to save his politics.

For now, the extension of the COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa or an appointment of new army chief is not under consideration, he said.