RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said he would not disappoint the nation and hoped that the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) would improve soon.
Talking to media after taking Charge as the 16th COAS, General Bajwa said that he required media’s support and he would also cooperate with media.
The Army Chief also urged media to ensure positive reporting and don’t spread disappointment.
Earlier General Qamar Javed Bajwa assumed Command of COAS on completion of General Raheel Sharif’s three-year tenure.
The Outgoing COAS General Raheel Sharif handed over the ‘command stick’ to General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the Change-of-Command ceremony held here at the Army Hockey Stadium, adjacent to the General Headquarters.
Upon arrival of General Raheel and General Qamar at the ceremony venue, a military band led by Lt Ghulam Ali played heartwarming tunes on national and folk songs.
A smartly turned out contingent, consisted of Northern Light Infantry, Frontier Force, Sindh Regiment and flag-party, led by major Haris Aslam presented the general salute to General Raheel and General Qamar. COAS General Raheel reviewed the guard of honour.
The contingent presented March past and salute to the outgoing COAS General Raheel Sharif.
Among others, the ceremony was attended by Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mehmood Hayat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, senior officers of the armed forces, and foreign diplomats.
New COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa was commissioned in 16 Baloch Regiment on October 24, 1980.
He is a graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, (Toronto) Canada, Naval Postgraduate University, Monteray (California) USA, National Defence University, Islamabad.
Qamar Bajwa has been an instructor at School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta, Command and Staff College, Quetta and NDU.
He has also been Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of Rawalpindi Corps.
General Bajwa has commanded 16 Baloch Regiment, an Infantry Brigade and Infantry Division in Northern Areas (Commander FCNA).
He has also commanded Pakistan Contingent in Congo. He has commanded Rawalpindi Corps, and was Inspector General Training and Evaluation at GHQ before taking over as COAS.
Earlier, General Raheel Sharif visited the Martyrs’ Monument (Yadgar-e-Shuhada) at the General Headquarters, laid wreaths and offered Fateha for the martyrs. General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present on the occasion.
