Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday dodged a question regarding the notification of the appointment of ISI director general with a laugh.

The prime minister was in the Parliament to attend the National Assembly session. He also chaired the meeting of PTI’s parliamentary party.

As he was walking to the Assembly Hall, 24NewsHD TV channel’s reporter volleyed a question towards the prime minister asking him when the notification about ISI DG’s appointment will be issued.

Prime Minister Imran Khan heard the question, laughed and went into the Assembly Hall.

Earlier, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has said that the process of appointing a new Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general will be completed very soon, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In a tweet uploaded on Thursday, the federal minister maintained that a certain section wanted to play a game over the issue but has failed.

Fawad further said “Now it is being said that the prime minister will conduct interviews for the new ISI director general.”

https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1448575650772705283

He said traditionally it is highly inappropriate to make such an action controversial.

Also on Wednesday, the federal minister had uploaded a tweet refuting any misunderstanding between the civil and the military leadership, declaring that the consultation process on the appointment of new ISI director-general has been completed and procedure of a new appointment has been set into motion pronouncing that all state institutions were on the same page and working together for the solidarity and progress of the country.

Fawad said “A consultation process between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has been completed on the appointment of a new ISI DG and the process of new appointment has been set into motion. Once again, civil and military leadership has proved that all institutes are equal and united and they are working for the country’s solidarity, stability and progress.”

https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1448159831932735488

On Tuesday, while presiding over the federal cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken into confidence his cabinet members on the matter of new ISI DG’s appointment notification asking them not to give any wrong connotation to the matter as they were all on the same page and soon all issues would be resolved.

The premier dispelled any wrong impression on the matter of new ISI DG appointment notification, exhorting that they all acted in concert and all issues would be sorted soon. He took his cabinet members on board over the issue.

After the cabinet meeting, Fawad Chaudhry briefed the media regarding the details of the meeting. He reiterated that there was no rift between the civil-military relationship. “The relationship is amicable,” the minister added. 

He informed that a long meeting was held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa last night. He said that Prime Minister is the authority on the appointment of ISI DG. He said a legal way would be adopted for the appointment of the new spymaster. 

He categorically said that there would be no step taken either from the Prime Minister office or the military setup to damage the repute of one another.

Both the leaders enjoyed good and close cooperation with each other and the final decision would be taken with mutual consensus, he added. The minister said there was a close liaison between Pakistan’s military and political leadership and relationships were ideal.