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ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif on Wednesday arrived in London on a three-day official visit.
Pakistan's High Commissioner to UK Syed Ibne Abbas and senior British defence officials received the army chief upon his arrival.
During his visit to London, the COAS will meet senior British political and military leadership and will also interact with think tanks and strategic institutions.
Sources told Dawn that Gen Raheel will take British military and political leadership into confidence over Pakistan's perspective on the regional security situation, with particular reference to Afghanistan and eastern borders.
The COAS is also expected to brief British leaders on Pakistan's war against terror and the ongoing Operation Zarb-i-Azb.
Pakistan's military in mid-June had launched an all-out operation, named 'Zarb-i-Azb', against Taliban militants in the region which is still under way. Moreover, months into Zarb-i-Azb, the army also launched Khyber 1, an operation to clear out militant strongholds in the tribal region of Khyber.
The operation in Khyber saw an escalation since the attack on Peshawar's Army Public School that claimed the lives of over 140 people - most of them children. After the attack, army chief General Raheel Sharif also secured assurances from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) commander General Joseph Dunford over complete cooperation in security-related matters.
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Comments (32) Closed
Jan 14, 2015 01:17pm
Erwin Romail of Pakistan.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:17pm
Enjoy and have lots of fun.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:21pm
@Akbaruddin
Very shameful
Comments coming from a Muslim name
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Jan 14, 2015 01:23pm
@Akbaruddin He is having it. Particularly after the military courts establishment
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Jan 14, 2015 01:32pm
Can someone please explain why people and media criticize PM when he visits abroad and nothing is said when it is the turn of COAS ? I'm not saying one should be criticized over the other but questioning why this bias exists.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:32pm
Does the government have any control over where the general goes, or he decides for himself? For the outside world it's really confusing when Pakistan has to leaders
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Jan 14, 2015 01:45pm
@Mr
Last time COAS left for an official visit he spent over 7 days in Washington.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:53pm
@Mr No reason to get confused. The outside world that you are a part of should not really care about the inside issues of Pakistan.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:56pm
the other Sharif will be itching to go aswell.
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Jan 14, 2015 01:58pm
@pak47 Yes, the civilian leaders you are talking about go to England to attend personal business disguised as official business - all of them have huge investments, properties and business interests. Most spend more time in Dubai, England, Saudi Arabia and France than they do in Islamabad. They are found in Europe when the country is ravaged by floods, earthquakes and terrorism.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:01pm
He is having fun and good time using public money when Pakistan is facing the worst face of terrorism. Looks like the government has no control on anything.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:05pm
One Sharif is going one day other for three days in UK and USA one Sharif visit for 5 day Raheel sharif stayed for 10 days what a competition going on. I did not see any news about any Army chief.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:10pm
@Amjad Wyne
Generals also have interests. Let me explain. NLC and FWO are all over the Middle East. They use their power to get contracts of roads and bridges. individually speaking I can also name some big shots. Musharraf has net worth of billion dollars along with many properties in London and Dubai, Kayani and his brothers have a big real estate business, Pasha went from retired ISI chief to advisor of UAE government,
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Jan 14, 2015 02:11pm
The solutions to the problems faced by Pakistan cannot be either suggested or implemented by the likes of USA and UK. The citizens need to introspect and attack the forces that divide the community. If the public wants Sharia, so be it and if secularism is the choice, adopt that. Stop going in circles.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:30pm
Wondering if the news channels keeping the record and breaking thr news of Mr. Sharif's costly visits to other countries on our tax money just like they do in cases of Nawaz, Zardari, Gilani etc.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:59pm
GHQ is shaping and controlling foreign policies. Generals have learnt the art of diplomacy.
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Jan 14, 2015 03:15pm
Nawaz Sharif and Raheel Sharif. .. what a dynamic duo in service of Pakistan.
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Jan 14, 2015 03:16pm
Pakistan and Britain have strong bonds - made stronger by the many Pakistani origin British citizens there.
This visit is excellent - we need to deepen and broaden the relationship with Britain - which has been extremely supportive in development of Pakistan.
There are many areas UK can help us develop. Lets become even better friends with UK and its citizens.
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Jan 14, 2015 03:56pm
Is this man your Army Chief or Foreign Minister ?!..
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Jan 14, 2015 04:05pm
Who is real PM of Pakistan ...army chief or Ns
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Jan 14, 2015 04:16pm
I have never come across any general from any country trvelling across world to prove the point. Why ? I thought Pakistan was a democratic country.
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Jan 14, 2015 04:21pm
General Raheel is most welcome in the UK where both political and military leaders admire his determination to keep Pakistan united. His 2 week long visit to the USA cleared the fog created by Pak politicians. Invariably, when a nation is in trouble it produces a great man. Today, I see in him General De Galle (France, the great nationalist and a great war hero) and Modi (India) rolled into one. Yes, there are some Pakistanis and Indians who do not yet appreciate him. They will, one day, and hopefully, that day is not far off. I realise that it will hurt some Pakistanis but I foresee even Modi admiring him
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Jan 14, 2015 04:50pm
@pak47 - Because unlike the PM, CAOS's visits are for the national cause.
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Jan 14, 2015 04:51pm
@Amjad Wyne - You seems like a troll disguised under a Pakistani name.
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Jan 14, 2015 05:25pm
Not a good sign.
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Jan 14, 2015 05:35pm
Pakistan has to solve its problems itself and the visits to London or elsewhere are counerproductive, because their interests are mostly incompatible with those of this country. Do the Chinese run around to solve their problems?
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Jan 14, 2015 05:47pm
@pak47 : because COAS has no real estate, bank account, or business interest outside Pakistan.
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Jan 14, 2015 06:25pm
@pak47 First of all he is not taking his family with him. That we call real professional and country related visit by the honest and brave person without disturbing the life of an ordinary Pakistan citizen. Not like PMLN and his company to charter the PIA aircraft on the expense of poor nation.
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Jan 14, 2015 07:52pm
is the army chief the top diplomat of Pakistan?
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Jan 14, 2015 08:30pm
I don't understand why people are so bothered over his visit. We should admire him and support him. At least someone is doing the job our politicians refuse to do.
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Jan 14, 2015 09:40pm
@pak47 Its strange nobody points out these things if they are true
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Jan 15, 2015 12:32pm
Hope he brings Altaf Hussin back home to be tried in the military court.
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