Trump sanctions International Criminal Court, calls it 'illegitimate'    King Salman and Crown Prince condole with Swedish King over deadly school shooting    SR2000 fine will be slapped if cats or rodents found inside a food facility SFDA seeks public opinion on draft amendments to Food Law    Saudi Arabia's population crosses 35 million, with non-Saudis constituting 44.4%    Saudi Arabia voices regret over fatal shooting in Sweden    Israel minister tells army to plan for Palestinians leaving Gaza    Heading into a new journey, JAECOO J8 is shaking up the luxury off-road market    Al Rajhi Bank announce a strategic partnership with MuhideFinTech Platform to authenticate and govern SMEs' trade finance transactions    India 'engaging with US' after shackled deportees spark anger    Indian media pile into lawsuit against OpenAI chatbot ChatGPT    Sweden mourns after deadliest shooting as gunman details emerge    Argentina says it will pull out of WHO, mirroring Trump's move last month    GEA hosts mass wedding of 300 couples at "Night of a Lifetime" celebration during Riyadh Season 300 cars and housing as gifts for the newlyweds    Food Culture Festival kicks off in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter    Saudi Arabia to present 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection' at Biennale Architettura 2025 Syn Architects explore Riyadh's architectural heritage, fostering new pedagogical approaches and global dialogue    Al Hilal reclaims top spot in AFC Champions League Elite with 4-1 win over Persepolis    Billionaire philanthropist Aga Khan dies    Al Ahli extends unbeaten run with 3-1 comeback win over Al Sadd in AFC Champions League Elite    Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Al Nassr thrashes Al Wasl 4-0 in AFC Champions League Elite    Grammy Awards 2025: Beyoncé wins best country album    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



New Pakistan army chief faces tensions with Kabul, India
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 11 - 2016

The new head of Pakistan's army took command of the armed forces on Tuesday amid rising tensions with arch-rival India over disputed Kashmir and as ties with Afghanistan remain rocky.
In his first comments after assuming charge of the country's powerful army, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa signaled that the ongoing tensions with India along their frontier will ease soon. "The situation at the Line of Control will hopefully improve soon," he said after the change of command ceremony.
Bajwa was installed at a ceremony in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, replacing Gen. Raheel Sharif, who steps down after completing his three-year term during in which the military launched several operations against Al-Qaeda, Taliban and local militants to dismantle their sanctuaries near Afghanistan and elsewhere in the country.
Bajwa was fourth in seniority on a list of five army generals sent to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and had been little discussed until picked him. According to the constitution, the prime minister can pick any officer from the list forwarded to him by the Defense Ministry.
The change in command took place when the outgoing army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, publicly handed over his "Malacca stick" to his successor at a ceremony that was witnessed by civilian and military leaders, as well as diplomats.
The Malacca baton, which is made of bamboo produced in Singapore, is part of the Pakistan army uniform. The change in command has taken place this way starting in the British colonial days. Pakistan became independent in 1947 when Britain gave independence to Pakistan and India, although the military has ruled this Muslim nation for nearly half of the time since then.
Tuesday's ceremony in Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad comes as tensions have climbed between Pakistan and neighboring India over Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan region which is divided between the two nuclear-armed rivals and claimed by both.
Pakistan and India have been working with reduced number of diplomats in each other's capitals for the past several weeks when both sides withdrew some of their diplomats amid tension over Kashmir.
Observers believe Bajwa will offer more support to Sharif's efforts to improve ties with Pakistan's neighbors, including Afghanistan and India.
Pakistan's relations with Kabul have also soured amid allegations from Afghan officials that Islamabad shelters the Taliban, who have intensified attacks against the government of President Ashraf Ghani.
Pakistan's army says it has dismantled many militant sanctuaries in the tribal regions, but the militants have still been able to carry out high-profile attacks.
Bajwa, who was commissioned in the 16 Baloch Regiment in October 1980, is a graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Canada, and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.