LAHORE: Retired Justice Aamer Raza Khan may not head the seven-member committee formed by the government on Monday to investigate the publication of a story in Dawn about a national security meeting.

“I heard that he [Justice Aamer] is considering not heading the committee after a controversy that brewed up in this regard,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator and information secretary Mushahidullah Khan said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Defending the appointment, he said Justice Aamer was a talented judge.

Answering a question about reported civil-military rift in the wake of the leaked story, he said some people always tried to create an impression that the government had some issue with the army. “The government will complete its term,” he asserted.

New army chief

Senator Mushahidullah, a close aide to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, hinted that the government was going to appoint a new army chief as Gen Raheel Sharif had expressed his wish not to get extension.

“The army chief has himself said he doesn’t want extension. He [Gen Raheel] is not Imran Khan or Shiekh Rashid to take a U-turn,” he said in response to a question.

In reply to a question about the government’s plan to announce the name of a successor to Gen Raheel, he said: “I will have to check with the party leadership as I am not consulted in this regard.”

Gen Raheel is retiring on Nov 28.

Published in Dawn November 9th, 2016