General Bajwa takes charge as Pakistan's 16th army chief

Outgoing military chief Gen Raheel Sharif on TNov 29th handed over the command of the army to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. He passed the baton of command to Gen Bajwa at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, The command stick of the Pakistan Army is made of traditional Malacca Cane. In his final speech as army chief, Gen Raheel Sharif stressed the need for institutions to work together for the nation’s progress, and cautioned India against adopting an aggressive stance in the region. “It is important that all institutions work together against external threats and internal threats. For this, we will need to follow the National Action Plan in letter and spirit,” Gen Raheel said. “I thank the federal government and political leadership for cooperating with us... I had the entire country’s cooperation, for which I thank the army and the nation,” he said. However, he said, “Our challenges are not yet over. We have made gains over the past year. It is necessary that we never forget the sacrifices of those who lost their lives... Our journey towards peace is still underway. Our destination is not far.” “The army will remain alert to threats, whether external or internal,” Gen Raheel said. The outgoing army chief touched upon the subject of Indian ‘atrocities’ in India-held Kashmir (IHK). “In recent months, India’s increasing terrorism and aggressive stance in IHK have endangered the region.” “India should know that mistaking our policy of patience for weakness would be dangerous,” he warned. “This is reality, that in South Asia, lasting peace and progress is impossible without solution of the Kashmir issue. For that, international community’s special attention is necessary,” he said, adding that for regional peace, all issues should be resolved politically. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a major factor in ensuring regional peace, he said. “The departure of the first cargo from Gwadar port has shown this journey cannot be halted now,” he warned. “The time is here now that the enemies of CPEC stop working against it and become a part of it.” The outgoing army chief paid tribute to those who had lost their lives for the nation and made sacrifices in the war against terrorism. “We were able to change the face of history by fighting a war against terrorism,” Gen Raheel said. “I have strong belief that the Pakistan Army will always deliver on the nation’s expectations.” The outgoing army chief reviewed the guard of honour upon his arrival at the venue.

Who is Gen Javed Bajwa?

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, a career infantry officer belonging to the Baloch Regiment, was chosen as Pakistan’s next Chief of Army Staff and Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Gen Bajwa was promoted to the rank of four-star general. Gen Bajwa was previously posted as the Inspector General for Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters, the same post held by Gen Raheel Sharif before he took over as army chief. Gen Bajwa was considered as a dark horse in the race for the army’s command and has now superseded Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain (chairman of Heavy Industries Taxila), Lt Gen Najibullah Khan (DG Joint Staff Headquarters), Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed (Corps Commander Multan) and Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday (Corps Commander Bahawalpur). The succession may not immediately bring about a major change in policies, but it could still have important implications for ties with India and Afghanistan, and domestically for the civil-military equation and the ongoing fight against terrorism. The army chief is credited with having spent a considerable part of his military service in the Rawalpindi-based 10 Corps, which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control (LoC). However, his time at the 10 Corps was a period of relative quiet following the 2003 ceasefire accord. This experience could prove invaluable as he takes command amidst serious escalation on the LoC, which saw some of the intense skirmishes since 2003. On a personal level, Gen Bajwa is said to be witty, accessible, well-connected with the troops and not fond of the limelight. He is the fourth officer from the infantry’s Baloch Regiment to become the army chief. Before him, Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Kayani rose to that position.

Ex-Indian army chief praises Pakistan’s incoming chief Gen Bajwa

Former Indian Army chief General Bikram Singh has said Pakistan’s incoming Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is a “professional”. “In the UN operations, Gen Bajwa’s performance was totally professional and outstanding,” Gen Singh was quoted as saying by Times of India as he described the time when Gen Bajwa had served under him on a United Nations assignment in Congo. He added, “A military officer’s conduct in the international environment is different from the way he conducts himself back home. There, he is governed by his country’s national interests,” he was quoted. General Bikram Singh was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and held the post until July 31, 2014. He was also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian armed forces. Another Indian army official, who was not identified in the story, was quoted saying, “Gen Bajwa is well-versed with the complexities, nature of operations and terrain along the LoC. He has also handled Kashmir extensively during his career.” A day earlier, Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, a career infantry officer belonging to the Baloch Regiment, was chosen as Pakistan’s next Chief of Army Staff. He will be promoted to the rank of a four-star general and will take up his new post from Tuesday, the day the current army chief Raheel Sharif retires.