RAWALPINDI: A farewell ceremony for Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Khalid Shameem Wynne was held on Monday at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Express News reported.
Wynne is set to retire on October 8 after completing his three-year term. Sources said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to revamp the office of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) and make Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani its head.
One senior intelligence official earlier told Reuters that Nawaz planned to overhaul the JCSC, a largely ceremonial office, into a “central defence body” by restoring its command over the entire military establishment and giving it additional powers. “The new JCSC chief will be in charge of the nuclear arsenal. He’ll decide on action against terrorists,” said the source, adding that new powers included the right to promote, post and transfer key military officers.
“Basically, the JCSC office will be what it was always supposed to be. The overall boss.”
New CJCSC A defence ministry official privy to the development had told The Express Tribune that a summary had been prepared for the appointment of a new CJCSC. The formal proposal includes the names of Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila, Lt General Haroon Aslam from Pakistan Army and Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt as potential candidates.
Speaking on condition of anonymity the official said the names were shortlisted based on seniority. Both Sandila and Butt are the senior-most officers in their respective forces while General Aslam will be the senior-most military officer in the army after the retirement of army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
Farewell: Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee head set to retire – The Express Tribune