KARACHI: Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif met a teenage thalassaemia patient and appointed him a ‘soldier for a day’ on Monday to honour his long-cherished desire.

“Master Shoaib Aurangzeb, 17, became a soldier of the Pakistan Army for a day,” an ISPR statement said. “Shoaib is suffering from thalassaemia major. He had expressed his desire in a letter to the COAS to become a soldier for a day. The COAS met Shoaib and granted him his wish to become part of the Pakistan Army.”

The army chief inquired after his health and praised his spirit and resolve for the country’s defence.

Later, the boy visited an army unit in Malir and spent the day with troops.

Published in Dawn February 17th , 2015

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