ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday termed as "inappropriate and premature" the defence minister's assertion that army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's tenure would not be extended, an indication that this could well be on the cards.
Defence minister Ahmed Mukhtar's statement earlier this week that Kayani, who is due to retire in October, would not be given an extension was "inappropriate and premature and he should not have given such a statement", Gilani said during an interaction with senior journalists here.
A decision on this would be taken "when the time for it comes and so far no decision has been made", Online news agency quoted the prime minister as saying.
Gilani's comments could well be taken to mean that the issue was being considered, given Kayani's track record in the military operations against the Taliban in Pakistan's restive northwest, analysts here said.
Speculation had begun earlier this year on whether Kayani's tenure would be extended, given the frostiness in his relations with President Asif Ali Zardari. >>>
