Shehbaz Sharif

The PTI and the coalition government are at loggerheads as the former presses on holding early elections. However, the ruling alliance has ruled out snap polls and vowed to not come under Khan's pressure, Geo News reported. "Imran's recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy is the latest in a series of attacks that fly in the face of how democracy functions in modern nation-states," Sharif said in a tweet.

Talking to a local media outlet, Dar said that he was not concerned whether the IMF team arrives or not to assess and finalise the pending review of the country's $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The Minister said that the IMF team is more than welcome to visit as the compliance details for the ninth review was "completely in order".

COAS Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 and will hand over the "baton of command" to General Asim Munir, who was appointed to succeed him last week, Geo News reported. As he gets ready to bid farewell to arms after serving as COAS from 2016-2022, Gen Bajwa met Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Arif Alvi on Monday.

In a statement, PM Sharif said that applying the principle of seniority in state institutions would serve to strengthen them, Samaa TV reported. He was referring to how he picked the senior-most officer from among the six candidates shortlisted and sent to him to pick the new Army chief and CJCSC, the report said.

Summary contains the names of six senior-most military officials, as per a confirmation by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, The News reported. Meanwhile, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has been serving as the COAS since 2016 and received an extension in service in 2019, is all set to retire on November 29.

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Sajid Hussain Turi, condemned the firing while confirming the incident, Dawn reported. In a statement shared on Twitter, he said: "Afghanistan's violation of Pakistan's Kurram border at Kharlachi and Borki and targeting the civilian population is condemnable."

The development comes after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar met President Arif Alvi on Friday and offered dialogue to resolve political issues, The Express Tribune reported. The sources said the president told him that his message would be conveyed to the PTI leadership. In response to the government offer, the PTI leadership also showed willingness and authorised the president to engage with the government, the sources added.

The allied parties have reportedly fully mandated the premier for making the appointment as per set procedure and traditions, The News reported. Certain ministers proposed to Sharif to obtain approval from the federal cabinet about the appointment of the army chief, but the majority did not agree to it. According to sources, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called the premier to inquire about his welfare and the two leaders exchanged views on the situation in the country and appointment of the new army chief.

Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, through her official Twitter handle, stated that the premier had been unwell for two days and took the Covid-19 test today on a doctor's recommendation, reports The Express Tribune. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had tested positive for the Covid-19 earlier this year in January and also in June of 2020.

"How can the PM consult a 'fugitive' [Nawaz Sharif] on a chief of army staff's appointment," Imran Khan asked, referring to Shehbaz Sharif's visit to London last week, The News reported. "It is impossible to imagine that a convicted and fugitive person will now take important decisions in Pakistan," he said.