ISLAMABAD: Pakistan defence minister’s claim about the appointment of former army chief General
Raheel Sharif
as commander of the Saudi Arabia-led 39-nation (mostly Sunni) military alliance has sparked controversy in the country. Members of the minority Shia sect, politicians, retired military officials and intellectuals have questioned the decision.
Last Friday, defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed that
Gen Raheel
had been made the head of Riyadh-based military coalition, a brainchild of young Saudi defence minister
Muhammad Bin Salman, formed to combat terrorism. The
Inter-Services Public Relations
(ISPR), army’s media wing, Saudi authorities and even Gen Raheel neither confirmed the claim nor denied it.
Mian Raza
Rabbani
, chairman of Senate, the upper house of parliament, has directly asked the government whether the retired army chief had sought permission or taken it into confidence before his reported appointment.
“Was the federal government taken into confidence? Was a no objection certificate issued to Gen Raheel,” Rabbani raised the questions before the house, asking the defence minister to keep in mind the rules for a retired officer seeking an appointment.
“I heard your statement on TV and you were not clear yourself,” Rabbani said, addressing the defence minister. For Pakistan’s fairly large Shia community duly represented in all institutions of the state, the alliance has dubious
motives and a divisive programme. While several Sunni religious groups, including the proscribed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat hailed the decision as a great honour, the Shia religious groups have expressed concern over the move.