Pakistan Army Chief Arrives in Sri Lanka on Goodwill Visit

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan Army General Raheel Sharif,  NI (M), marking a new era of goodwill, understanding and military co-operation, arrives in Sri Lanka on 5 June evening at the invitation of his Sri Lanka’s counterpart, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva.

During his five-day long stay, General Raheel Sharif is expected to pay courtesy calls on HE the President Maithripala Sirisena, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Hon. Prime Minister, Hon. State Minister of Defence, Secretary to Ministry of Defence, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Navy and Air Force and visit several military establishments, Kandy, Galle, Diyatalawa, and Nuwara Eliya areas as parts of his itinerary in the island.

His delegation comprises the spouse of General Raheel Sharif, Mrs Begum Fariha Raheel, Major General Azhar Abbas, Mrs Begum Sadia Azhar, the spouse of Major General Abbas, Colonel Muhammad Qasim, Captain Umer Sajjad and two more persons.

Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army, accompanied by Mrs Nayana De Silva, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit, will receive the visiting Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and his spouse, Mrs Begum Fariha Raheel, together with his delegation to a red carpet welcome at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport.

On Saturday (06) morning General Raheel Sharif, will be honoured at the Army Headquarters in a Guard Turnout and a special Guard of Honour salute before he formally calls on the Commander of the Army at the Commander’s office for exchange of views and bilateral discussions. The Army Seva Vanitha Unit has meanwhile organized a separate reception to Mrs Begum Fariha Raheel during her stay in Sri Lanka.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Pakistan during his stay in Sri Lanka is expected to gift a few horses to the Sri Lanka Military Academy for training purposes as gestures of goodwill and cooperation. He will also join a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Heroes’ monument in Diyatalawa.

Earlier, General Raheel Sharif NI (M) was compelled to postpone his visit to Sri Lanka following some unexpected commitments in his own country.  

Here follows his official profile:


General Raheel Sharif, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) was born in Quetta on 16 June 1956 in a martial family. His father Major Muhammad Sharif was a war veteran of Second World War. The General’s elder brother Major Shabir Sharif (Shaheed) made his mark in the history of Pakistan by first earning Sitara-i-Jurat in 1965 War and then ‘Nishan-e-Haider’ the highest gallantry award of Pakistan for sacrificing his life in the most heroic manner in 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. Captain Mumtaz Sharif, his second elder brother is also a war veteran and recipient of ‘Sitara-i-Basalat’. The General is an alumnus of Government College Lahore and graduate of Pakistan Military Academy. On his commissioning with 54th Pakistan Military Academy Long Course in October 1976, he joined, the 6th Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment, the same unit in which Major Shabir Sharif (Shaheed) had fought the two wars.

As a young officer, General Raheel Sharif performed his duties in an Infantry Brigade deployed in the Himalayas and later attended Company Commanders’ Course in Germany. He is a graduate of Canadian Staff College, National Defence University Pakistan and Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom. His illustrious military career includes coveted appointments in different ranks. He has been Adjutant of Pakistan Military Academy, Instructor in Infantry School, Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade, Directing Staff in Command & Staff College Quetta, Chief of Staff in 12 and 30 Corps and Commandant Pakistan Military Academy. He has the honour of commanding his parent battalion and 26 Frontier Force Regiment as Lieutenant Colonel, 54 Independent Infantry Brigade and 106 Infantry Brigade as Brigadier, 11 Infantry Division as Major General and 30 Corps as Lieutenant General.

Before assuming the command of Pakistan Army, he was appointed as Inspector General Training & Evaluation wherein he oversaw the evolution of Pakistan Army’s operational thought into New Concept of War Fighting and formulation of new training regime.

The General is married and blessed with two sons and a daughter. He is an avid reader and enjoys golf, hunting and swimming.