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ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif left for a two-day visit to China on Saturday, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
Gen Raheel would meet China's political and military leadership to discuss issues pertaining to security and defence cooperation between the two countries, a defence source told Dawn.
The army chief would apprise Chinese leadership of successes achieved in Operation Zarb-i-Azb, during which the network of East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) — a militant organisation founded by Uighurs in Western China — has also been destroyed.
Pakistan and China enjoy close military and defence ties and both countries often take part in joint military and air exercises.
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Comments (61) Closed
Jan 24, 2015 09:24pm
Pakistan and China, the all season friends. China has been immensely impressed with Pakistan armed forces performance in battle.
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Jan 24, 2015 09:28pm
Is he the new foreign minister of Pakistan? His predecessor commander-in-chief of the armed forces (Gen. Musharraf) visited 104 countries including countries like Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, and Tunisia with whom Pakistan has absolutely no trade or general relationship. Can someone place a limit on the expenses of our tax payers money?
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Jan 24, 2015 09:37pm
What a character! Probably the best COAS Pakistan has ever had. So proactive. Perfect timing for the visit to China. Incompetence of the political government has further strengthened him. I am sure NS wouldn't even have thought of such a tactic to discredit Obama's visit to India.
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Jan 24, 2015 09:39pm
General Raheel Sharif really likes travelling, he is out every week on some trip. It appears that he is holding the positions of foreign Minister, defense minister, Prime minister and lot more. Good luck have fun General.
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Jan 24, 2015 09:51pm
Race between PM Sharif and Gen. Sharif of becoming Christopher Columbus of Pakistan.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:07pm
Nawaz Sharif should learn something from this guy. COAS knows more politics than NS. That's how you flex your muscles. Perfect timing for the visit.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:12pm
Again R sharif Not N sharif.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:22pm
Looks like he is combined army chief and foreign minister.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:24pm
What a great political move. Keep it up General. It is a brilliant stroke.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:28pm
Why is this a news? This undue glorification of military is why Pakistan is suffering today.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:47pm
What happened if Chinese Premier cannot visit Pakistan , Raheel will visit him and they will devise counter strategies against India -US strategies.
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Jan 24, 2015 10:54pm
.......this tends to give the wrong impression.
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Jan 24, 2015 11:03pm
Poor attempt by Rail Sharrif to balanced Obama's visit to India. The difference is that Obama is knocking Indian door, Rahil Sharif is knocking Chinese door without political consent. Who is more powerful ? Obviously Mr. Modi. Make your civilian leadership powerful. Army is not answer to your problem.
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Jan 24, 2015 11:21pm
This happens when elected governments just fail to turn up ! PPP and PML-N just did not want to take any strong decision in case of cancer of terrorism. Although not ideal, but atleast someone is representing the state of Pakistan on this critical matter.
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Jan 24, 2015 11:35pm
China is a true friend and partner unlike others who pretend to be friends, use Pakistan, then abandon and blame Pakistan
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Jan 25, 2015 12:07am
well the general goes out of country for some concrete purpose not like nawaz sharif who goes to different places to keep a check on his businesses.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:10am
the general has to go on foreign trips as we all know now adays he is the defacto prime minister of Pakistan.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:15am
At right time Right visit , haters gonna hate ,
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Jan 25, 2015 12:21am
The better Sharif!
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Jan 25, 2015 12:21am
China's Armed Police are the best police force in the world.
Pakistan would be wise to hold special forces exercises with China's special forces and navy seals. Chinese special forces rangers are tough on radical Islamists in northwest Xinjiang.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:23am
General has no choice, he has to take care of Pakistan. Incompetent PM should spend
rest of his life performing Umra's.
NS supporters, please vote for PMLN again next time so Food & Oxygen also disappear.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:24am
@Irshad Khan Canada
Whats your problem in it, we have a situation here and to give obama-modi some message, this was necessary, i am convinced that you are some pseudo–intellectual, if corrupt politicians cant handle situation, let army do it...
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Jan 25, 2015 12:25am
How can you outsource all functions of the state to the forces. This is a bloodless coup if there ever was one!
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Jan 25, 2015 12:25am
You and PM keep traveling when house is burning.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:44am
@Irshad Khan Canada :: I couldn't agree more with your statement about the General rolled in as Army Chief, with the Defense, Foreign, Interior and Prime Ministership; all in one. What a deal Pakistan has got in one man. Is this democracy or Shariat or a new form of Government that General Raheel has invented?
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Jan 25, 2015 12:51am
Obama to India, Gen. Sharif lands in China. Good message, good move.
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Jan 25, 2015 01:01am
well done sir...you are really a global leader of course in travelling most number of foreign countries ....it seems you are not comfortable in Pakistan ....by the way please visit India someday to produced some positivity in the relation ...until then keep reporting about the operations to your masters ....
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Jan 25, 2015 01:03am
@Irshad Khan Canada He sends NS on a trip to Saudi and represent Pakistan. NS is happy to do the job normally done by Vice Prime Minister or Vice President. Who is in charge here?
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Jan 25, 2015 01:11am
No one trusts Sharifs and their friend Zardars. only COAS is the hope for Pakistan.
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Jan 25, 2015 01:35am
Perfectly timed to let the Obama admin and Indians know that Pakistan too has options.
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Jan 25, 2015 01:38am
@Ahmed Shaikh, you are too, too too wrong and yours is an immature comment. So you have two PMs, two Defence ministers and two foreign ministers. With which one should other countries deal? There is a price that a society has to pay to build strong institutions in a country. You are trading that with convenience.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:05am
Unlike NS I feel this guy goes somewhere its meaningful and he means business. Trips to US and China, those guys dont host foreigners if its not business. On the other hand our friend NS trips have been to Saudi Saudi Saudi, London Saudi. No one in 2015 goes there for business, they are irrelevant on the intl stage. On top of that NS takes his family and friends to Disney I mean Saudi, what the heck it that about? What is this a taxpayers sponsored family outing? Meanwhile there is no petrol and now no electricity all over PK. I really pity pakistanis I dont know how you support, defend and tolerate a man like that. I really dont.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:31am
Great solider, Great man with lot of wisdom.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:41am
I am sure Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif left for a two-day visit to China to get some job done. This is definitely not a pleasure trip.
We must remember that Nawaz Sharif has made arrangement with Raheel Sharif that the Chief of Army Staff would take care of the security, so Nawaz Sharif could keep his presidential seat, which he won with rigged election.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:11am
@Irshad Khan Canada, Nawaz has shown how inapt he is. The general is filling the vacuum.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:51am
@Ahmed Shaikh lol..what muscles?
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Jan 25, 2015 04:54am
Gen Sahab like other national issues shortage of electricity in entire Pakistan has become an alarming issue. Could you please attend to it as well because people of Pakistan have very high hopes from Pak Army
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Jan 25, 2015 04:57am
I think he is welding more power than ns and it appears hecis more respected than him also ..... Warning signs for the ns government
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Jan 25, 2015 05:00am
While our Prime Minister is busy touring Saudi Arabia after every 2 days to express his undying servitude to the royals, our COAS is aggressively addressing the top-most threat to our nation - terrorism.
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Jan 25, 2015 05:14am
"The army chief would apprise Chinese leadership of successes achieved in Operation Zarb-i-Azb, during which the network of East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) — a militant organisation founded by Uighurs in Western China — has also been destroyed."
And we are proud of it!!
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Jan 25, 2015 05:15am
Why is the foreign leadership outside of the middle east so averse to meeting with Nawaz Sharif? What does our Babbar Sher have that NS does not have?
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Jan 25, 2015 05:46am
NS is very smart, he has himself to keep his reign and sorting out all his personal businesses and capitals (in or out) and giving free hands to Pak Army to address regional issues.
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Jan 25, 2015 06:58am
Why is that Pakistani army chiefs travels and talks to the foreign civilian governments ? Pakistani people should rise up and fix the system, country's leadership must be with the people and not the armed forces, that is the foundation of the democracy which I am sure Barrister Jinha had dreamed of.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:04am
You all are forgetting that after Dec 16, army has taken over.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:07am
Knowingly or unknowingly Pratically Pakistan have slipped into Military rule
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Jan 25, 2015 07:08am
@Irshad Khan Canada Don't you know that army is now in control, the term is called democratic marshal law.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:13am
Democracy survives only on the foundation of strong values.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:18am
Democracy survives only on the foundation of strong values.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:21am
If any one had a doubt that NS is in power, this should clear the doubt. Now I wonder Indians knew it before hand that NS is not worth talking to.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:22am
These shariffs love to travel and in fact competing for the longest milage. You went to Germany, I will go to UK. You went to Saudia, I will go to China.
They seem to reach an agreement to run parallel govt.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:23am
It is routine. Hardly a month passes when someone from Pakistan does not visit China on security or defence related matter. China should open an office in Rawalpindi.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:31am
@Ahmed Shaikh
C'mon mate, if General's start visiting foreign countries to give updates on internal matters like security operations, and other foreign policy matter, which country would respect the prime minister and the country? It's like Abba Ammi, and all of family discussing family matters with outsider and fighting among each other.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:55am
Wow, for first 55years after Brits left we reported to Americans and for last 10 years we also started reporting to Chinise.
We don't see South East Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bangladesh go to world powers and give status about internal operations of their countries.
Go luck we are failed nation.
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Jan 25, 2015 08:02am
Instead of begging foreign friends for technology and warfare aid, please visit your own defense organizations and fire all of their staff, hire new qualified and industrybexperienced staff with top level from United States.
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Jan 25, 2015 08:10am
Is he going to twist the arms of Chinese leaders to withdraw the ban of veils and growing of beard in China?
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Jan 25, 2015 08:27am
The COAS is doing a sterling job for Pakistan's image.
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Jan 25, 2015 09:22am
gud work, General. the visit, to china, will increase our military power. And also buy some new cool weapons.
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Jan 25, 2015 09:41am
thank you General your efforts for making Pakistan terror free will Inshallah bear fruits
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Jan 25, 2015 01:43pm
When we have incompetent and corrupt Politicians then someone has to fill the shortcoming. Going to saudia wouldn't solve our problems.
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Jan 25, 2015 05:05pm
When people pin hopes on Gen Raheel Shareef, i think they forget wt Ayub did with Fatima Jinnah, how drunk and insane Yaha was, how zia used religion for his own power and forced a good pm like junejo to resign, and how mush did military operations for US dollars. I think its time that Pakistanis should understand that no General with a magic stick can improve this situation, Pakistanis have to work hard to achieve some goal, no more shortcuts.
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Jan 27, 2015 05:04pm
based on some comments even though you are not trustworthy hope both you countries trust each other.
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