File photo. Thomas Kienzle—AFP
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday reiterated that the armed forces have decided to stay away from politics in Pakistan and have no desire to reverse this.
Speaking ahead of a luncheon held at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, he told guests he had no desire to seek a second extension to his tenure—set to expire at the end of November—stressing that he would hang up his uniform, as he had already committed earlier this year. The statement comes after several politicians of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had suggested Gen. Bajwa’s tenure should be extended “until fresh elections” so a new government could appoint the next Army chief.
According to people who attended the gathering, Gen. Bajwa reminded guests that reviving Pakistan’s economy should be the first priority of all segments of society, stressing that the nation could not achieve its targets without accomplishing this. “There could be no diplomacy either without a strong economy,” he told the audience, which included several Pakistani diplomats.
Following the lunch, Gen. Bajwa visited the Pentagon for a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin. In a statement, the military’s media wing said that in addition to meeting Austin, the COAS had also met National Security Adviser Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Ruth Sherman. It said matters of mutual of interest had been discussed in the meetings, including the regional security situation and bilateral cooperation in various fields.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Army chief thanked the U.S. officials for their support to flood-hit communities, adding that their assistance was vital for the rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims. It said that both sides had agreed that Pakistan and the U.S. have a long history of bilateral cooperation and would continue to improve their economic and trade ties in future.
The ISPR statement said Gen. Bajwa had also offered his condolences on the deaths and devastation caused by Hurricane Ian to Florida, noting that Pakistan fully understands the loss and pain as it too is facing the drastic effects of climate change. “Both sides had convergence on major international issues including Afghanistan and need for cooperation to avoid humanitarian crisis and improving peace and stability in the region,” it added.
The Army chief is currently on an official visit to the U.S. He reached New York on Sept. 30 and met several U.N. officials before traveling to Washington for meetings with government officials. Authorities in Pakistan have stressed that this visit reflects the improvement in ties between Islamabad and Washington after a freeze following the U.S. exit from Afghanistan last year.