Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir calls on new PM Shehbaz Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir on Wednesday called on new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed professional and security issues with him, a day after the powerful military congratulated him on assuming the post.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Munir called on Shehbaz at his office to felicitate him and expressed his best wishes to the latter for assuming office as the country's 24th chief executive.

They discussed operational and security-related matters during the meeting.

Shehbaz was elected as the prime minister on Sunday, retaining the post after his 16-month-long stint in the top position from April 2022 to August 2023.

The meeting comes a day after Pakistan's top military brass expressed “dismay” that some small segments of the polity and media, especially social media, were “maligning" the armed forces with “unsubstantiated allegations" of interference in the process of elections.

Presiding over the 263rd Corps Commanders’ Conference held at Rawalpindi, Munir said that rather the security force provided a secure environment for the conduct of polls, according to a statement by the Army.

The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.

The meeting noted that the armed forces, at great peril to their primary responsibility, provided a security environment for the conduct of elections on February 8 as per the given mandate, and had nothing to do with the electoral process.

“However, the forum expressed dismay that some vested small segments of polity and media especially social media have been maligning Armed Forces of Pakistan with unsubstantiated allegations of interference which is highly deplorable,” it read.

According to the statement, it is unfortunate that rather than focusing on real issues such as good governance, economic recovery, political stability and public well-being, the “entire focus of such vested elements is on creating political instability and uncertainty by attempting to scapegoat others for their own failings”.

Though the military did not name any political party, it was directed at jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has been alleging that the powerful establishment had supported the PML-N party to steal its mandate.

The meeting emphasised that due legal processes be followed with evidence and proof rather than resorting to unconstitutional and uncalled-for baseless political rhetoric and emotional outbursts.