ISLAMABAD: Outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa held separate farewell meetings with President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The president lauded the services rendered by Gen Bajwa during his six years tenure as army chief. While, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has praised services of outgoing COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa for Pakistan Army, defence of the country and national interests.
The prime minister was talking to General Qamar Javed Bajwa who made a farewell call on to him at PM House here on Monday. The prime minister also hosted luncheon for outgoing Army Chief.
The prime minister expressed best wishes for Gen Bajwa and the army chief thanked the premier. General Qamar Javed Bajwa will relinquish command of Pakistan Army after serving as COAS for six years and hand over baton of command to newly appointed Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah at change of command ceremony to be held at GHQ today (Tuesday). The ceremony will also be attended by ex-army chiefs, senior Pak Army officers and others.
“You got honour of leading best Army in the world,” the prime minister said. The prime minister observed that Pakistan Army under the leadership of General Bajwa performed exemplary services in bringing the country of out of crises including removal of Pakistan’s name from grey list of FATF, coronavirus and heavy floods.
He said that General Bajwa led Pakistan Army at difficult juncture of history and the force played a key role in bravely crushing menace of terrorism. “General Bajwa played a key role in making country’s defence as impregnable,” the prime minister said, adding that it was due to leadership qualities of General Bajwa that made it possible to rightly meeting the security challenges.
Shehbaz Sharif also praised role of General Bajwa with regard to importance of geo-economics and expressed thanks for his cooperation in various issues of national importance. On the occasion, the prime minister stressed that all the political parties should sign Charter of Economy to strengthen country’s economy.
“The armed forces have always played its role in overcoming internal conflicts and that the forces also maintained balance in the international politics through military diplomacy,” outgoing COAS General Bajwa said while giving an exclusive interview to a UAE based daily.
He was of the view that some elements criticised the army for being apolitical, but this tradition (army of being apolitical) will help democracy prevail and flourish in Pakistan and promote political stability. General Bajwa said the relations between the military and the people of Pakistan would also further improve after the Pakistan Army becomes apolitical. He said the armed forces had to face severe criticism over playing “role” in the country’s politics.
“Despite some criticism and undue vilification of the armed forces through mass propaganda and meticulously crafted false narratives, the institutional resolve to remain apolitical will remain steadfast. I am certain that this political quarantine of the armed forces will auger well for Pakistan in the long term by fostering political stability and strengthening the Army-to-people bond,” he said.
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