ISLAMABAD - President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said that he will implement the directions given by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the appointment of the next Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), a local news TV channel reported. The president, in a conversation with his aides regarding the new army chief’s appointment, reportedly said that he could not create hurdles in the much-awaited process. “I do not have the legal authority to stop the prime minister’s advice; I have never interfered in the affairs of the state,” President Alvi stressed. The statement comes as the incumbent Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is set to retire later this month and he has ruled out an extension in his tenure. In response, PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that the president would fulfil his constitutional duty when it comes to the crucial appointment.