How Imran Khan's 2014 sit-in led to Qamar Bajwa being named Pakistan army chief

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's newly appointed army chief Qamar Bajwa was chosen because of the pro-democracy credentials he so ably demonstrated despite being pushed to the limit during a two-month-long sit-in in Islamabad in 2014 by former cricketer Imran Khan and his party, Dunya News and other Pakistani media reported.
Former Pakistan army officials also believe that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif picked Bajwa as the new army chief because he has good pro-democracy attitudes , The News International reported.
"Prime Minister definitely wanted an army chief who is supportive of democratic system in the country, who believes in the supremacy of Parliament and who could work for the betterment of the country," said a ruling party senator PML-N Senator, Lieutenant General (Retired) Abdul Qayyum.
"These were the major points what I believe the prime minister would have taken into consideration before appointing the COAS. I believe General Qamar Bajwa possesses all these elements due to which he has been given the top slot in Pakistan Army," added Qayyum.
In fact, Dunya News said that PM Sharif decided to make Bajwa army chief as early as two years ago, during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) party's two month-long sit-in Islamabad in 2014. Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan is the founder and chief of PTI.
Bajwa was commander of a unit that was looking after the Islamabad and the region around it during PTI's sit-in, and at the time stood firm against any and every argument in favour of a military intervention, Dunya News's Kamran Khan, a senior political analyst, said.
General Bajwa, Khan said, "had the command of the most sensitive corps of Pakistan during the sit-in and his decision to send troops to secure the Red Zone in Islamabad was a clear demonstration 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", Khan said.
Another retired Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani told The News that PM Sharif saw Bajwa's "suitability in terms of working relations with the civilian government."
The Nation newspaper also quoted people close to Bajwa as saying that the General has "a strict belief in civilian supremacy and an enlightened, liberal outlook."
"The army general does not have a singular, visceral hatred for India. He believes that apart from eastern neighbour, non-state actors are the biggest threat to the country. These convictions of the army chief-designate must have leant heavily on the mind of PM Sharif as he made the crucial appointment," The Nation wrote.