Pakistan Army chief starts farewell tour

Raheel Sharif to retire on Nov. 29

Ending speculation that he might get an extension, Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif on Monday kicked off his farewell visits to various army units before his retirement on November 29.

“The COAS (Chief of Army Staff) kicks off his farewell visits beginning from Lahore today," Military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said.

Mr Bajwa said General Raheel met troops and addressed a “huge gathering of soldiers of army and Rangers at (Lahore) Garrison”.

General Raheel said accomplishment of peace and stability was no ordinary task. “Our sacrifices and joint national resolve helped us in off-setting all odds against the country,” he said.

“We are fully prepared to respond to any challenge and no one could dare cast an evil eye on Pakistan,” he said, in an apparent reference to India amid tension along the LoC.

General Raheel said that the military operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ against militants in North Waziristan has resulted in a more secure and stable Pakistan with a sense of greater hope and direction.

“Pakistani people are the most resilient and brave in the world who have always persevered in adverse conditions,” he said.

He asked the troops to follow the norms of their rich military tradition with even greater vigour and continue serving their people with utmost dedication, resilience and greater sense of sacrifice .

General Raheel, 60, is expected to pass on the baton of command of the army to the next army chief at a ceremony by the end of this month.

On Friday, General Raheel visited Government College University Lahore, his alma mater and interacted with the students and faculty members.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has four options before him for the post of new army chief.

The line-up as per seniority is more or less clear.

Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Zubair Hayat is the

senior-most followed by Multan Corps Commander Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday and Inspector General Training and Evaluation Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Official sources privy to the development said that Lt Gen Nadeem and Lt Gen Bajwa were the potential candidates for the slot of the army chief.

General Raheel in January had declared he would not seek extension.

“I will retire on the due date,” he had said.