General Bajwa reaffirms Army's apolitical role in farewell address at Defence & Martyrs Day ceremony.

RAWALPINDI -- Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday, in his farewell address at the Defence and Martyrs Day ceremony, reaffirmed that the Army would have no role in the country's politics for future.

The Army Chief was addressing the Defence and Martyrs Day Ceremony 2022 at the General Headquarters (GHQ), which was postponed earlier due to torrential rains and massive floods in the country. The ceremony was included in the schedule of farewell visits on the wish of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The serving and retired officers of Pakistan Army, families of martyrs and veterans, participated in the event.

The Army Chief, in the first-ever public farewell speech of any outgoing COAS, said the Army's role in politics was unconstitutional. 'In February the last year, the Army's leadership decided that there will be no role of the institution in any political matters in future.'

He said: 'Today is Pakistan's Martyrs' Day as the Army Chief, I am addressing for the last time. Due to the floods, the Martyrs' Day is being held late.'

General Bajwa said the families of the martyrs were the pride of nation and the Army would never leave their families alone. In his six-year tenure, he added, the families of the martyrs were always found in high spirit, whereas the force could not reward but would not allow the sacrifices of their loved ones, to go in vain.

The Army Chief said he was proud to have been the commander of the Pakistan Army for the last six years.

He remarked that the main task of Army was to protect the geographical boundaries of the country, but it always went an extra mile for the service of nation. Whether it was the case of Reko Diq or Karkey's fine, FATF negative impacts on the country to it's journey to the white-list, integration of erstwhile FATA, fencing the western border or providing less expensive gas from Qatar, loans from friendly countries, combating Covid-19 or eradicating locusts, relief operations during floods, the army had always fulfilled its mandate to serve the nation and would continue to do so, Inshallah, in the future.

He said: 'I assure you that despite these actions, the Army will never neglect its primary task and fight against terrorism. There are sacrifices that can never be forgotten because the nations that forget their martyrs, are the nations that vanish.'

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