The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani today visited Multan Garrison. During his day long visit, COAS witnessed the troops busy in training activities. He also visited the newly constructed soldiers living accommodation. Later, Chief of Army Staff addressed the officers at Multan Garrison.
Earlier on arrival at Multan he was received by Lieutenant General Sikandar Afzal, Corps Commander.

---------------------------------------------------

Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani meeting with the troops during his  visit to Multan Garrison on Saturday. (25-4-2009) - Photo ISPR

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Tariq Majid has said that “Pakistan seeks harmonious and peaceful coexistence with all countries, especially the neighbours. However, this cannot be at the cost of our core interests, sovereign rights and national honour. Each one of us who wears the uniform represents the freedom that defines us as a nation, and therefore, has to remain vigilant and prepared to jealously safeguard it”.
 He made these remarks while addressing the passing out parade of 119 PMA Long Course, 33rd Graduate Course, 21st Technical Graduate Course, 38th Integrated Course and 4th Lady Cadet Course at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul.
 Chairman JCSC said that “Pakistan today is passing through a very critical phase of its history. Increasingly difficult external environment and our rather precarious internal dynamics have created a situation where the country is faced with a myriad of security challenges. We are pitched against growing sub conventional threats when the conventional threat has also kept erupting. While the way forward to defeat the spectrum of threats is through comprehensive national effort, the Armed Forces indeed have a pivotal role to play, in unison with other instruments of the state. This inevitably adds to our onerous responsibilities and we need to match our actions with the gravity of these testing times”.
 While advising the cadets, General Tariq Majid emphasized that “besides the sacred duty of defence of the country, you also carry the responsibility of safeguarding our ideological frontiers and playing your role to protect the society in general and your subordinates in particular, from falling prey to the exploitative deluge of hate and extremism which is endangering to engulf us. This you can do by enlightening yourself and nurturing in your men the real teachings and genuine ethical values of Islam, so that they can contest the negative trends of time with resilience”.
 Earlier, the CJCSC reviewed the smartly turned out parade and awarded medals. The coveted Sword of Honour was awarded to Academy Senior Under Officer Wajid Iqbal from 119th PMA Long Course, The President’s Gold Medal to Battalion Senior Under Officer Asfandyar Khan from 119th PMA Long Course, the Chief of Army Staff Overseas Gold Medal to Allied Under Officer Ahmed W M Qabaha of 119th PMA Log Course from Palestine, and Course Under Officer T.G.N, Kumara from Sri Lanka, Chief of Army Staff Cane for the best cadet of Technical Graduate Course-21 was awarded to Course under Officer Khawar Shafiq, the Chief of Army Staff Cane  for the best cadet of Graduate Course-33  was received by Course Senior Under Officer Bahadar Ali Butt and the Commandant’s Cane for the best cadet of Integrated Course-38 was received by Course Under Officer Zafarullah Khan. The Commandant Cane for the best cadet of Lady Cadets’ Course-4 was awarded to Course Under Officer Maria Siddique.
 Major General Raheel Sharif, Commandant Pakistan Military Academy was also present on the saluting dais. A large number of senior serving and retired armed forces officers, parents of cadets, foreign diplomats and relatives of graduating cadets witnessed the spectacular parade.

---------------------------------------------------------------