Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif spent the night in the field near Kharian and witnessed the troops from Central Command carrying out night and dawn operations as part of Army Field Exercises. The exercises were aimed at validating the latest operational plans involving infantry and mechanised troops and their support elements from the entire Central Command, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated in a press release here on Tuesday.

Apart from first ever use of the fully digitised virtual Command and Control Room, the exercise saw the first formal employment of indigenously developed Mine Dispensing System. The troops of Special Service Group (SSG) participated with an impressive high altitude drop by their free fall paratroopers. While speaking to officers and men on the occasion, the COAS said the Army Field Exercise had fully achieved its objectives of validating updated operational plans integrated with the latest communication concepts and cyber technology to radically reduce reaction time for quick response. He said that successful culmination of the exercise had “boosted our confidence in our combat readiness. Induction of numerous indigenously prepared systems manifests our growing technical prowess and self-reliance. Our adversary must know while we have been fully occupied in a determined fight against terrorism across the country, especially the western border, we have kept ourselves prepared to take on any misadventure or strategic miscalculation by our adversary.”

The COAS said, “The resilience, resolve and heroic deeds of our men against the odds have earned international acclaim for our audacity as a nation.” He emphasised the troops’ perpetual state of readiness and commended the morale and combat efficiency of troops.

Commander Royal Saudi Air Force Major General Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Otaibi called on the Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif here on Tuesday. According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), matters of professional interest and regional security situation were discussed during the meeting.