Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is currently addressing the Defence and Martyrs day ceremony.
The Defence and Martyrs day ceremony is held annually at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi on September 6 to commemorate the sacrifices of fallen heroes of the 1965 war. However, it was postponed this year in solidarity with flood victims across the country.
āToday, on the Defence and Martyrs Day, I am addressing as the army chief for the last time,ā Gen Bajwa said at the start of his speech. I am retiring soon. This time, this [ceremony is being held] after some delay.ā
In the final part of his speech, the outgoing COAS said he wanted say a few words on āpolitical mattersā.
At the onset of the event, a tribute video was played about the recent catastrophic floods in the country and the scale of destruction they caused. The video also showcased the militaryās rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Gen Bajwa will be retiring by the end of the month after commanding the army for six years. He was appointed army chief in 2016 for a three-year tenure, which was extended by three years in after parliament legislated on the tenures of services chiefs on the orders of the Supreme Court.
More to follow