COAS (Chief of Army Staff) during an investiture ceremony held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday (5th October) said that the sacrifices made by the martyrs will not go to waste.
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa COAS said that “Pakistan owes its peace and stability to the selfless devotion and sacrifices of its martyrs.”
The army chief described the martyrs as “true heroes of the country,” saying, “there is no cause more honorable than laying one’s life for the defense of the motherland, and sacrifices of our martyrs will not go to waste.”
According to an ISPR statement, Gen Bajwa presented honors to army troops for acts of bravery during operations and exceptional services offered to the nation. The ceremony was attended by senior army leaders, families of individuals receiving awards, and families of martyrs.
According to the information provided by ISPR:
- 47 officers were awarded Sitara-I-Imtiaz.
- Six officers, seven junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and 12 soldiers were awarded Tamgha-i-Basalat.
Exercise with Chinese troops
Meanwhile, the two-week-long Joint Anti-Terrorist Exercise 2021 concluded on Monday (4th October) at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Pabbi, where troops from China and Pakistani armed forces participated.
According to an ISPR press release, it was the first military exercise held in Pakistan under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure.
The exercise aimed to improve collaboration and cohesion in the fight against international terrorism.
The Chinese and Pakistani military took part in the exercise and shared their experiences with capacity building as well as creative ideas and strategies for countering emerging threats.