'Expect him to stay out of politics': Imran Khan's PTI on Pak's new army chief

Islamabad, Nov 25: As Pakistan appointed Lt General Asim Munir as the new army chief, former prime minister Imran Khan's party Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has one message for the new army chief -- hopefully the new leadership of the armed forces will play its constitutional role and stay out of the politics of domestic affairs.

"We hoped that the new leadership of the armed forces would play its role in strengthening the constitutional rights and democracy in the country," The former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan's party said in a statement, according to a report in Pakistan's newspaper the Express Tribune.

The party also hoped that after the appointment of the new army chief, "people's right to elect a new leadership through fresh elections would be recognised."

'Deal with external threats, stay out of domestic politics'

"The people of Pakistan expect that their armed forces, while dealing with an array of external threats, would stay out of the politics of domestic affairs and that the rights of political parties would not be infringed," the statement said.

Interestingly, Imran Khan has been demanding fresh elections in the country after he was made out of power.

On that, the party was reported as saying, "Free, fair and transparent early elections are the only solution to the prevailing crisis in the country and we believe that all individuals as well as institutions who feel the pain of the nation, must play their role in ensuring this democratic future."

'Shehbaz Sharif's govt an imported one'

The party also stated human rights deteriorating conditions in Pakistan and said, "Human Rights in Pakistan have been grossly violated, journalists and media have been and continue to be subjected to torture and harassment; and Arshad Sharif, one of the leading journalists in the country, has been assassinated," the newspaper reported.

The party also said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government was an imported government.

It added, "The imported govt & the state, in pursuit of pushing the leader of the largest political party against the wall has plunged the country into the worst form of political instability that has essentially sent the economy into a tailspin."

Lt General Asim Munir's appointment as Army chief

On Thursday, Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif named Lt Gen Asim Munir as the new Army chief to succeed incumbent General Qamar Javed Bajwa. It put an end to the suspense over the key appointment.

Bajwa, 61, is scheduled to retire on November 29 after a three-year extension. He has ruled out seeking another extension. Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had been picked as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb made the announcement on Twitter, as reported by PTI.