PM Imran 'proud' of Gen Bajwa, calls him 'best army chief': report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that he had found Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa to be a very balanced personality who was fully committed to democracy, and that the decision to give an extension to the general had been taken as early as last year. 

The prime minister was talking to senior journalist and analyst of Jang Group, Irshad Bhatti, in an informal discussion. Revealing details of that discussion to Geo News host Shahzeb Khanzada, Bhatti said that PM Imran found the speculation surrounding the extension of COAS as "very strange". 

Imran Khan said that he, at the very outset of assuming the PM Office, had decided that Gen Bajwa would be offered an extension. The premier further said that the army chief's adherence to democracy was praiseworthy, adding that Gen Bajwa was the best army chief. 

Bhatti quoted the prime minister as saying that Gen Bajwa had supported the government all the way on the Kartarpur initiative, parleys with the White House, and in dialogue with the Middle Eastern neighbours and addressing the economic situation. 

The prime minister maintained that without Gen Bajwa, the government would not have made strides on the domestic and external fronts. PM Imran also noted that he was proud of the COAS as the decorated military man was a blue-blooded soldier.

Bhatti told Khanzada that during the interview, the prime minister looked very relaxed and confident. PM Imran also had interesting answers when asked about the sarcastic remarks he had recently made against PML-N supremo Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto. 

According to Bhatti, the prime minister said that Bilawal had been in practical politics for over a decade, but governance in Sindh was "absolutely atrocious", questioning how a politician could be dismissive of an issue when over 30 people had perish due to lightning. 

The prime minister also went on to question if the Sharifs were the proteges of Lieutenant General Jilani (former Punjab martial law administrator). PM Imran maintained that if the rumors were true, then there was nothing wrong with bringing them up. 

However, upon objections to the mannerism in which the statements were made, the prime minister conceded that the language used was not befitting of the office he holds. and admitted that even though the opposition parties often pass similar remarks, he should not respond in kind.