Will step down at the end of my 3 year term: Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif
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On Monday,
General
Since he took office in 2013, the army has launched aerial and ground assaults against Islamist insurgent strongholds near the Afghan border in the northwest, earning the military bro ad support from a Pakistani population tired of militant violence.
Critics say the crackdown has been selective, going after some militant groups, but leaving others intact.
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The general has thrown his support behind elected Prime Minister
General Sharif has also presided over a security crackdown in Karachi, the country's largest city, which has sharply reduced murder rates but drawn protests from opposition politicians who say their activists have been targeted.
Under his watch, the military has been give n authority to try civilians suspected of terrorism in secret military courts.
General Sharif is said to have been personally involved in efforts to bring the Afghan
Speculation that General Sharif would seek to extend his tenure for another term was baseless, the army's public relations wing said in a series of tweets issued on Monday.
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"The Pakistan Army is a great institution. I don't believe in extension," he was quoted as saying.
General Sharif's decision would represent a win for democratic institutions, but raises questions on the future of campaigns against militants. No obvious candidate to succeed him has yet emerged.
General Sharif pledged that efforts to combat terrorism "will continue with full vigor and resolve" after he retired, the army tweets said.
Pakistan's past two military chiefs had sought extensions of their terms instead of stepping down, with General
Image credit: Indiatimes
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