LONDON/ISLAMABAD      -      Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his older brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in London to discuss the appointment of the next army chief, often considered the most powerful position in the country. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who is travelling with the premier, said Friday that once the constitutional process starts the appointment of Army Chief would be decided after consultation. “There are speculations (in the media) that the appointment of Army Chief has been decided during Nawaz-Shehbaz meeting. In this regard, there was discussion (between them) but the decision will be made after consultation and once the constitutional process starts,” the minister tweeted late Friday. The defence minister on Thursday night also confirmed the meeting of the Sharif brothers on a TV channel. “Everything will become clear in coming few days,” he said. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is due to retire on November 29. Khawaja accused opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan of trying to influence the appointment of the military chief and making it controversial. After the crucial meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in London, it was decided Friday to appoint the military’s senior-most officer as the next army chief, a private news channel claimed. The decision was taken during a meeting of the PML-N leadership, with party supremo Nawaz Sharif, vice president Maryam Nawaz, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in presence. Following his fourth and two-hours-long meeting with Nawaz, PM Shehbaz told journalists that the army chief ’s appointment is a constitutional matter and would decide in line with the Constitution. Apart from the crucial matter of the army chief ’s appointment, the high-level huddle took important decisions in London and the PML-N will later take the coalition partners into confidence over them. PM Shehbaz is now returning to Pakistan, following the meetings. He had arrived in the British capital after concluding his two-day visit to Egypt, where he attended the COP27 summit. Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan has also reiterated his stance on appointing the army chief on “merit” and criticised PM Shehbaz for consulting Nawaz for making this decision. During his address to participants of his party’s long march in Gujrat via video link, Khan said: “Whoever fits the merit, should be appointed the army chief.” “Nawaz Sharif always brings up the man who is beneficial for him,” Khan said referring to the appointment’s decision. Responding to PTI leader, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal late Friday criticised PTI Chairman Imran Khan for being the only politician in the country’s history to play politics on the army chief’s appointment. Appearing in a talk show, Iqbal said it was “regrettable” that someone for the first time in the country’s history was trying to play politics on the issue. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will announce the army chief’s appointment in time on merit and professional basis.” Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that the next army chief will be announced before November 29. “When the prime minister returns to the country, he will make the announcement in the next few days or two.” He said the prime minister had his “eye” on the issue and the announcement would be done at the “appropriate time”. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will only have one criterion for the army chief’s appointment: maintaining Pakistan’s impenetrable defence and taking the military’s professionalism to a higher standard. “We have to do the army chief’s appointment on a professional, instead of political, basis.” Iqbal said the issue was a “routine appointment” and speculation should be avoided on the matter.