Army Chief’s foreign tours need no sanctioning: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said no permission of any sort is required to Army Chief’s visits abroad and that his current trip to the US had been scheduled a couple of weeks in advance.

Talking to media persons here, Khawaja Asif explained that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to US was focused on Pak-US bilateral ties and the overall situation of the region while Army Chief’s trip pertained to Pak-US defence ties and security matters of the region.

“No prior permission is required to Army Chief’s foreign tours and that a procedure already exists for his trips to other countries,” he said.

He said the Defence Minister approves steps which have to do with the country’s needs. “As a Defence Minister I grant approval to matters that are forwarded to me from GHQ (General Headuqarters),” he added.