Farewell ceremony for outgoing CJSC held

A special ceremony was held at the Joint Staff Headquarters on Monday as the Armed Forces of Pakistan bid farewell to General Khalid Shameem Wynne, the outgoing chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC) who retired after 42 years in active service.

The ceremony was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, senior officers from the three services and officers of the Joint Staff Headquarters.

A smartly turned-out joint services guard presented salute as the CJCSC arrived at the venue and reviewed the parade.

Later, addressing the officers and troops at the Joint Staff Headquarters, the CJCSC lauded the sacrifices rendered by the armed forces in defending the motherland.

He reiterated that the defence of the country was impregnable and gallant soldiers, sailors and airmen would not hesitate in making it even more formidable.

Wynne is set to retire on October 8 after completing his three-year term.

Sources said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to revamp the office of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) and make the army chief its head.

One senior intelligence official earlier said Nawaz planned to overhaul the JCSC, a largely ceremonial office, into a “central defence body” by restoring its command over the entire military establishment and giving it additional powers.

“The new JCSC chief will be in charge of the nuclear arsenal. He’ll decide on action against terrorists,” said the source, adding that new powers included the right to promote, post and transfer key military officers.

“Basically, the JCSC office will be what it was always supposed to be. The overall boss.”

New CJCSC:

A Defence Ministry official privy to the development had said a summary had been prepared for the appointment of a new CJCSC.

The formal proposal includes the names of Admiral Sandila, Lt General Haroon Aslam of the Pakistan Army and Air Chief Marshal Butt as potential candidates.

Speaking on condition of anonymity the official said the names were shortlisted based on seniority.

Both Sandila and Butt are the senior-most officers in their respective forces while General Aslam will be the senior-most military officer in the army after the retirement of General Kayani.