Outgoing chief of army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has officially handed over command of the Pakistan army to his successor, General Asim Munir, who has now become Pakistan’s 17th army chief.
In a ceremony that took place early morning on Tuesday at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over the baton of command to General Asim Munir, officiating him as the new COAS.
Before the ceremony officially began, General Bajwa and Munir both visited the Yadgar-i-Shuhada (Monument to Martyrs), to lay wreaths and pray for the departed martyrs.
The ceremony began around 10 AM and the military band performed national and folk songs. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, as well as government officials and diplomats were also present at the occasion.
Before handing over command, Gen Bajwa gave his last address in which he said he was thankful that he had been given the opportunity to lead the Pakistan Army. “I will soon go into oblivion, but the spiritual connection will always remain with the army,” he said, adding that his prayers will always be with the Army during difficult times.
“I am proud that despite its limited resources, the army protects Pakistan’s borders from the ice-capped mountains of Siachen to the deserts of Thar,” he said. The former COAS appreciated that the officers serving under him were always ready to fight whatever challenge sprung up. “And when I asked them for sweat, they gave me blood.
He then congratulated Gen Asim Munir on his appointment, and said that he was handing over command of the army to an ‘expert and capable son’. “In addition to being a Hafiz-i-Quran, he is a professional, capable and principled officer. I am certain that under his leadership the army will reach new heights of success.”
