Summary Kamran Khan says Gen Bajwa stood firm during sit-in when he was commanding 10 corps, 111 Brigade
LAHORE: (Dunya News) – Dunya News Chief National Security Correspondent Wajahat Saeed Khan has on Saturday said that the decision to appoint General Qamar Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PT) sit-in in 2014, reported Dunya News.
Talking on Dunya News, Dunya Media Group president Kamran Khan said that General Qamar Bajwa got the distinction over the other generals when he was commanding 10 Corps during the sit-in days in Islamabad. He said that as the commander of 10 Corps, which looks after the region ranging from Rawalpindi all the way to Siachen, General Qamar Javed Bajwa stood firm against any arguments of a military intervention.
Read more: Bajwa s appointment mainly a signal for India: analysis
Kamran Khan told that 111 Brigade was also controlled by 10 Corps and thus General Bajwa was the commander of 111 Brigade at that time too. He said that Bajwa’s firm stand proved his pro-democracy stance and he might have been chosen right then for the position. He said that Bajwa handled the pressure situation brilliantly when the workers of the political parties holding the sit-in broke into Pakistan Television building. He said that there were voices rising at the time of a military takeover but Bajwa’s firm stand against the same saved Pakistan from such a situation.
The senior analyst added that General Bajwa had the command of the most sensitive corps of Pakistan during the sit-in and his decision to send troops to secure Red Zone was a clear demonstration of his understanding that no action should be allowed to take place that might threaten democracy. “It is very critical information that the common people don’t generally have. This decision had a huge importance during those days. And that is probably the reason that when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif started to ponder over the four names a few weeks back, he had Qamar Bajwa in his mind”, he said.
Read more: Lt General Qamar Javed Bajwa appointed COAS
Wajahat Saeed Khan agreed with Kamran Khan. He said that Kamran Khan had raised the most important point in the analysis today. “There were stories at the time that there was a difference of opinion among the generals at the time and 111 Brigade could be moved at any time. But it is a very important point that Qamar Bajwa was also in command of 111 Brigade which comes under 10 Corps. And he helped Pakistan army to move away from that serious controversy”, he said.
Wajahat added that the decision was probably taken years back and it was in everyone’s mind that Bajwa was a democrat.
Kamran Khan s analysis of new COAS appointment - Watch video:
Bajwa earned distinction amongst other during 2014 Dharna when he stood by democracy, he made a huge difference. PM having a sigh of relief
— Kamran Khan (@AajKamranKhan) November 26, 2016
