After being overlooked for the post of army chief by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s senior most army general Lt Gen Haroon Aslam resigned on Thursday.

Islamabad, Nov 28/Nationalturk – A day after Pakistan announced Lt Gen Raheel Sharif as new army chief, Pakistan’s senior most army general Lt Gen Haroon Aslam Thursday resigned after being overlooked for the coveted post by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

According to media reports, Lt Gen Haroon Aslam was working as the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who will retire today. After Kayani, Aslam was the senior-most officer and was supposed to be appointed as country’s new army chief. He was front runner for the coveted post after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he would follow merit and seniority while appointing the new army chief.

PM handpicked Raheel, No 3 in seniority list

Instead of him, Pakistan PM appointed Lt Gen Raheel Sharif, who figured No 3 in the seniority list, as new army chief. Raheel will be Pakistan’s 15th Army chief and will take charge on Friday. The No 2 in seniority list Lt Gen Rashad Mahmood was appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

After PM announced Lt Gen Raheel Sharif as army chief, Haroon felt let down and did not attend Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s dinner on Wednesday night.

Sources said Lt Gen Haroon has tendered his resignation today. “He has tendered his resignation to the Defence Ministry”.

‘Lt Gen Haroon overlooked for playing key role in 1998 coup’

There were reports that Haroon was overlooked and not appointed army chief by PM Nawaz Sharif because the former had allegedly played a key role in 1998 bloodless coup by then army chief General Parvez Musharraf, who was also handpicked by Nawaz during his then tenure.

Pakistan newspaper, The News, quoted sources as saying General Haroon had played a key role as Director of Military Operations on October 12, 1999 along with the-then DGMO Major General Shahid Aziz to oust Nawaz Sharif from power. Then, Brigadier Haroon led the team to arrest all the cabinet members, including the then Nawaz.

“Yes, Haroon was one of the two directors at the MO Directorate, under my command, who did whatever I ordered him to do on October 12, 1999,” Lt Gen (retd) Shahid Aziz had told the newspaper told on July 7, 2013.

‘I had followed the orders’

Lt Gen Haroon Aslam had told his confidants that he had followed the orders of his superiors during 1999 coup. “I had followed the orders of chain of command,” he had said.

The newspaper quoted sources as saying that another possible reason for overlooking Lt Gen Haroon Aslam could be that he was a Special Services Group commando and PM Nawaz Sharif does not like commandos, particularly after his experience with Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Media reports said Pakistan’s outgoing army chief Gen Kayani had also opined to government against appointing Haroon as army chief.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News