Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, has leveled a stunning allegation against former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa claiming the former military leader threatened to impose martial law in late 2022 to secure an extension of his tenure.
The incendiary claim come just a day after another former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lt. General (Retd) Faiz Hameed, was sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment by a military court, signaling an unprecedented shake-up in Pakistan’s civil-military dynamics.
In an interview with Pakistan’s Geo News Defense Minister Khawaja Asif shed new light on the contentious process leading up to the appointment of the new Army Chief in November 2022.
Khawaja Asif claimed that Gen. Bajwa, whose second three-year term was ending, resisted the appointment process for eight to nine days Qamar Javed Bajwa kept using a mix of carrots and threats.
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If true, Bajwa’s role will mark another instance of army’s political interference in civilian domain. Only last week, an army spokesman’s aggressive language against incarcerated PTT leader, who commands a massive following, drew sharp criticism.
Quoting former general Bajwa during the interview, Khawaja Asif said:
“During the process of appointing the Army Chief, he resisted for eight or nine days and gave threats that ‘I will take over,’ saying ‘give me an extension.’”
Asif asserted that the former Army Chief’s primary objective was to secure another extension, and he allegedly used the threat of a military takeover as leverage against the then-ruling government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Furthermore, the Defense Minister alleged that Gen. Bajwa was keen on seeing his close associate, Faiz Hameed, elevated to the position of Army Chief, stating that Bajwa had attempted to influence the final decision regarding the key military appointment.
These claims back up Khawaja Asif’s prior accusations that both Bajwa and Faiz Hameed were the “main characters” behind the political instability that culminated in the no-confidence vote that ousted former Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022.
The latest political revelations coincide with the dramatic conviction of retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, the spymaster.
The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed on Thursday that a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) had concluded its 15-month proceedings against the former three-star general.
Faiz Hameed was found guilty on all four charges brought against him under the Pakistan Army Act.
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These charges included: Violation of the Official Secrets Act deemed detrimental to the safety and interest of the State. Engaging in political activities. Misuse of authority and government resources. Causing wrongful loss to persons. He was sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment, a landmark ruling that demonstrates the military leadership’s stated commitment to internal accountability and non-interference in political affairs.
The military further stated that Faiz Hameed’s alleged role in “fomenting vested political agitation and instability in cohorts with political elements”—a likely reference to the May 9, 2023, attacks on military installations—is being “separately dealt with.”
The sentencing is seen by analysts as a stern message from the current military command that institutional discipline transcends rank and retirement status, while Khawaja Asif’s continued and detailed claims against Gen. Bajwa ensure that the accountability debate surrounding the military’s role in recent political turmoil will remain a highly charged issue.
Meanwhile, Faiz Hameed’s lawyers have declared that they would file an appeal against the decision.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
