New Delhi: The three-year extension given to Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa is expected to lead to a more rigid military stand against India than before, sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint.
“We expect the Pakistan Army policy towards India to get more rigid when it comes to supporting terror, but they will do it more subtly. We expect the LoC to be continuously heated up for the next few months,” a source said.
The source added that the Pakistan military will focus on Kashmir a lot — through proxy forces like terror groups, and by infusing more radicalisation in the Valley.
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Three-year extension
According to a notification issued by the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office Monday, Gen. Bajwa was appointed Chief of Army Staff for another term of three years from the date of completion of his current tenure. The notification, personally signed by PM Imran Khan, added that “the decision has been taken in view of the regional security environment”.
Sources said the extension was expected, even though Bajwa had famously said last year that he will retire on the day it is due in November 2019. He had been appointed in November 2016 by then-PM Nawaz Sharif.
“His extension was on expected lines. Notwithstanding what he said last year about his retirement, the real question was how long he would get an extension for,” a source said.
Another source pointed out that while PM Khan had signed off on the order, the actual decision of giving an extension was taken by Gen. Bajwa himself.
Army influence over govt to get more apparent
Sources also said while the Pakistan Army continues to have a huge influence over the civilian government, this will become more open and apparent in the coming months. PM Khan is often labelled a ‘selected PM’ rather than an ‘elected PM’ because of the army’s support.
A source said Bajwa’s extension had become even more of a foregone conclusion when Khan added him to the National Development Council (NDC), a body formed to make policy and chalk out strategy for economic development, and also to provide guidelines for improving regional cooperation.
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