LAHORE: A citizen has asked the Lahore High Court to order Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to appoint the senior-most general as new chief of army staff without any kind of interference from any corner and that too immediately after the retirement of the incumbent army chief.

Mian Ali Mateen, a resident of Mughalpura, through his counsel, submits that every citizen is nowadays worried and anxiously waiting for the new commander of Pakistan Army, which should be appointed by November.

The petitioner states that all the generals in Pakistan army are equal in merit and should not be ignored by promoting others who are juniors at fifth or sixth number in the seniority as it causes ill will in the whole force. He argues that it is an arbitrary use of discretion by the prime minister who ignores merit and appoints an officer on personal preference, depriving senior most officers.

He asks the court to order the prime minister to appoint the senior most general as new army chief on merit.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022