Newly appointed COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa assumes command of the Pakistan Army from General Raheel Sharif at a ceremony which is taking place at the Army Hockey Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday (today).
Outgoing army chief, General Raheel Sharif laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada in GHQ.
A military band kick started the ceremony with a number of patriotic tunes.
Federal ministers, former services chiefs, senior army officers, and other dignitaries are present at the ceremony. Newly appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat and outgoing CJCSC General Rashad Mahmood are also present at the ceremony.
The outgoing army chief, General Raheel Sharif, hands over the baton to Gen Bajwa at a formal change of command ceremony at the GHQ.
General Raheel Sharif in his farewell address said that he was thankful to God Almighty to have been given the opportunity to command the world’s best army.
He also thanked the Armed Forces and the Pakistani nation for their resolve and support during every step of his journey.
He said he always prioritised national interest in every decision he made during his tenure as army chief.
“I am absolutely certain the Pakistan Army will always fulfill the nation’s expectations,” he said.
Read more: General Qamar Javed Bajwa takes charge as 16th army chief
