ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday warned that the Armed Forces with the support of its citizens would never allow any country, group or force to politically or economically destabilize Pakistan.
Addressing the passing out parade of 146th PMA Long Course, 34th Technical Graduate Course, 65th Integrated Course, 20th Lady Cadet Course and 5th Basic Military Training Course held at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul, Abbottabad as chief guest, the Army Chief said Pakistan Army, with full support and confidence of the Nation had successfully turned the tide against the menace of terrorism in the last two decades and had ensured that organized terrorism was decisively rooted out from the country.
The COAS said, “This is indeed a unique accomplishment that not many countries or armies can claim.”
He iterated that Pakistan was a responsible and peace-loving country and that its efforts for international peace, especially in Afghanistan, the Middle East and in UN peacekeeping missions were being acknowledged by the international community.
At the beginning of the passing out parade, Major Saad Amjad Raha, parade adjoint, invited the army chief for the inspection of the parade. He was accompanied by Maj. Gen. Omer Ahmed Bukhari, the commandant of Pakistan Military Academy.
High-ranking civil and military leaders and ambassadors of friendly nations attended the event. Addressing the ceremony, Gen. Bajwa congratulated the cadets and their families for successfully completing the training.
“I would also like to extend my heartiest felicitations to the cadets of our brotherly countries on completion of their military training at the Pakistan Military Academy,” he added.
The chief highlighted the role of the military in successfully exterminating the menace of terrorism from the country in its two-decade-long struggle. “Unique accomplishment that not many countries or armies claim,” he pointed out.
Gen. Bajwa said the ceremony has made him nostalgic, reminding him of the day he stood before his seniors 42 years ago. He said at the time he could have never imagined that one day he would be commanding this army.
“Pakistan is a peace-loving country,” the army chief stressed adding that its quest for peace has led the country to reach out to neighbours.
“We must give peace a chance by developing a mechanism to resolve all our battles, and bilateral issues peacefully,” General Bajwa stated further.
Though, he warned that the desire for peace must not be misconstrued as a weakness as thousands of brave soldiers have laid their lives to protect “every inch” of the motherland.
Cadets of the 24th Technical Graduate Course and 65th Integrated Course are also among those passing out today.
Besides them, cadets of the 20th Lady Course and 5th Basic Military Training Course are also part of the parade. The best performing cadet will be honoured with a Sword of Honour, while gold medals will be given to two cadets of 146 PMA Long Course.
Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee Overseas Gold Medal will be given to the best performing cadet of the friendly countries. 20 foreign cadets including four women are part of the passing out parade. These cadets are from Qatar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Iraq.
