Pakistan Army Chief on Goodwill Tour Arrives in Sri Lanka

Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, heralding a new era of goodwill, understanding and military co-operation, arrived in Sri Lanka Monday (15) evening at the invitation of his Sri Lanka’s counterpart, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake.

During his three-day long stay, General Qamar Javed Bajwa expects 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, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Navy and Air Force as parts of his itinerary in Sri Lanka.

His delegation is comprised of the spouse of General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Mrs Ayesha Amjad Begum. Brigadier Iftikar Hassan Chauhadary, Personal Secretary to COAS, Mrs Nazia Iftikhar, Begum of PA (C) to COAS, Lieutenant Colonel Asif Hashmat and Captain Kashan Saeeed.

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake and Mrs Chandrika Senanayke, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit received the visiting Pakistan Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Mrs Ayesha Amjad, Begum of COAS respectively, along with Pakistan's delegation to a red carpet welcome at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport. Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka was also there to greet him.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa 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 formal exchange of views on Tuesday (16). The Army Seva Vanitha Unit has meanwhile organized a separate reception to Mrs Ayesha Amjad during her stay in Sri Lanka.

Here follows the brief profile of the visiting Pakistan's COAS;

Qamar Javed Bajwa, Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) was born in Karachi on 11 November 1960. He was commissioned in Baloch Regiment (Infantry) on 24 Oct 1980. The General Officer is a Staff Course graduate of Canadian Force Command and Staff College, Toronto and holds a Masters Degree in War Studies from National Defence University, Islamabad. He has attended various Inland and Foreign professional courses, including Senior Officers Defense Management Course at Naval Post Graduate University, Monterey (California) USA. The General has commanded his parent Battalion and an Infantry Brigade. He has held command of Force Command Northern Areas, 10 Corps and has been Commandant School of Infantry & Tactics, Quetta.

General Bajwa has broad instructional experience at prestigious army institutions including School of Infantry and Tactics, Command and Staff College and National Defence University, Islamabad. His staff assignments include Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade, General Staff Officer Grade-1(Plans) and Chief of Staff of a Corps.

He has served on deputation to Saudi Arabia for a period of three years and has remained Commander and SPAO of Pakistan Contingent to UN Mission in DR Congo. Before taking over the command of Pakistan Army, he served as Inspector General Training & Evaluation and oversaw the evolution of Pakistan Army’s operational and training doctrine. He assumed the office of Chief of Army Staff on 30 November 2016.

The General belongs to a family with strong military background. He received his school and college education at Rawalpindi. He is married and blessed with two sons. He is an avid reader and enjoys golf, hunting and swimming. He has travelled widely across the world and is a keen student of world cultures and civilizations.