Featured Image : Gen. Raheel Sharif at National Training Center during a visit to US in 2014, Photo credit : Mr. Gustavo Bahena (Irwin) via Wikimedia Commons
Pakistan,s outgoing Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif has started farewell visits to various corps headquarters and regiments ahead of his scheduled retirement, the military spokesman said,
He is going to become the first army chief in two decades to step down on time.
Gen. Raheel Sharif, 60 years old, is credited with being the architect of counterterrorism operations that significantly reduced militant activity across the country, especially in FATA, during his three-year tenure. He also is seen as one of the driving forces behind a crackdown by security forces on the militant wings of political parties in Karachi, helping stabilize the country’s financial capital.
The four probables for the slot of Army chief are said to be Lt Gen Ashfaq Nadeem, Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramdey, Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lt Gen Zubair Mehmood Hayat. Gen. Sharif is due to retire by the end of this month.
Gen. Sharif’s two predecessors received term extensions. However, Pakistan’s military said as early as January that Gen. Sharif would retire on schedule.
Retiring military chiefs traditionally tour bases across the country and hold farewell meetings with other officials.
Monday’s tour of Lahore was taken as evidence of Gen. Sharif’s intention to step down on time.
His successor is expected to be named in the coming days. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s defense minister and a senior member of the ruling party, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will choose from a list of candidates after consulting with Gen. Sharif and cabinet members.
The ruling party aides say an on-time transition between army chiefs will mark a milestone for democracy in Pakistan.
“Accomplishment of peace and stability [are] no ordinary task. Our sacrifices and joint national resolve helped us in offsetting all odds against [the] country,” Gen. Sharif said during a farewell visit to soldiers in the eastern city of Lahore, according to military spokesman Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa.
“No other military in the world has achieved the kind of victories against terrorism like our army has under Gen. Sharif’s command,” Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the defense minister, said. “Gen. Sharif is leaving behind a legacy that he and the armed forces can be proud of.”
