Chief of army staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, who is making farewell visits to different cantonments and installations, has arrived in PM house in Islamabad along with the future army chief to attend the farewell dinner, hosted by prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The PM held a one-on-one meeting with General Sharif to discuss the appointment of the new leader of the military, who is said to be present in the same meeting.
Addressing the event, PM Nawaz said the outgoing Army chief demonstrated extraordinary professionalism and leadership skills during his three-year tenure, adding he always led from the front.
Paying tribute to the Chief, the premier lauded the Zarb-e-Azb operation and said the entire world acknowledged the achievements of the mission, adding the general proved himself to be a great fighter and military leader through relentless hard work and efforts.
PM Nawaz further thanked the COAS for being a good strategic and military advisor to the former, and said he was appointed for his extraordinary skills.
Responding to PM’s tribute, the army chief expressed his gratitude for the latter, saying he is very thankful for the support and acknowledgment.
TV footage showed PM’s address was met with thundering ovation as the two leaders shook hands.
The farewell meeting was attended by military high-ups including Lieutenant-General Javed Iqbal Ramday, Lieutenant-General Qamar Javed Bajwa, DG ISI General Rizwan Akhtar, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman , General Ashfaq Nadeem and General Zubair Mahmood Hayat.
According to Geo News, the defence ministry has sent a summary for the appointment of new military leadership to the premier.
The summary requested the PM to appoint a new COAS and Joint Chief of Staff Committee Gen Rashid Mahmood, as both of them are to retire on Nov 29.
The summary named four senior army officials. It emerged that Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Zubair Hayat currently tops the senior-most list of Pakistan Army, followed by Corps Commander Multan Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, Corps Commander Bahawalpur Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday and Inspector General of Training and Evaluation Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, in descending order.
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Earlier today, Genera Raheel Sharif visited FATA and Peshawar, where he addressed the officers and soldiers from army and the Frontier Corps.
He commended them for successfully unhinging terrorists from their sanctuaries in FATA and destroying their infrastructure.
General Sharif is making farewell visits to different cantonments and installations that started this Monday.
