ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over what he said was a delay in appointing the new army chief with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani set to retire from the position on Nov 28, DawnNews reported.

Shah said the appointment of a new army chief should have been finalised a month ago, adding that it was not appropriate to stall on the issue.

Furthermore, the opposition leader advised the premier to not ignore the aspect of seniority in the process of choosing a new chief of the armed forces.

“Whenever the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) comes to power, it forgets the past,” said Shah.

Pervez Rashid defends govt

Responding to the accusations and criticism hurled by Shah at the prime minister, federal minister for information and broadcasting Pervez Rashid stated that the appointment of the new army chief as well as of a new chief justice would be done in accordance with the Constitution.

Dismissing the censure against the premier as “baseless”, the minister added that “any patriot who steps forward to rescue the country out of crisis would be welcomed”.

The government previously has said that it would announce the next army chief and chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff committee on Nov 28, the day General Kayani retires.

Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Rashad Mehmood and Chief of Logistic Staff Lt Gen Haroon Aslam are frontrunners for the two slots. A change of command ceremony has been planned for Nov 29.