The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif is very reluctant to get an extension in his service, and is all set to retire on the given due date.
Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt. General Asim Bajwa, quoted the army chief in a series of tweets “Speculations about extension in service of COAS are baseless. Pakistan Army is a great institution. I don’t believe in extension… and will retire on the due date,”
The Pakistan Army spokesman said the military chief is resolute to carry on his efforts to rid the country of terrorism.
“Efforts to root out terrorism will continue with full vigour and resolve… Pakistan’s national interest is supreme and will be safe guarded at all costs,” Bajwa said further.
General Raheel Sharif, who was appointed on 27 Nov. 2013, is going to retire in November this year.
Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, they claim, effectively communicated to the federal government that he may not be interested in any extension in his office tenure. There has been a lot of media speculation round this particular question.
The idea of extension in tenures is a continuation of former military General Pervez Musharraf who gave extensions to himself from 2001 to 2008 and then General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani who was given extensions in his normal tenure and he ended up serving in the role for six years.