Counterterror exercise: Gen Raheel witnesses joint drill with Chinese forces

Army chief phones Capt Rohullah’s father; pays tribute to brave son

RAWALPINDI/ CHARSADDA: Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif on Thursday witnessed the Pakistan-China Joint Special Forces Exercise ‘YOUYI-VI 2016’ at the National Counter Terrorism Training Centre (NCTC) in Pabbi.

The two-week long exercise was focused on counterterrorism operations and sharing of field combat experiences of armed forces of the two neighbouring countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Gen Raheel congratulated participants of the exercise for displaying “high-level of professionalism” and “combat skills”.

He emphasised that “such exercises will consolidate our special relationship with the Chinese armed forces and will help us eliminate terrorism from the region. We are sharing our experiences with the world for the benefit of humanity and as an obligation towards international peace”.

Earlier, on arrival the army chief was received by Comd 1 Corps Lt-Gen Umar Farooq Durrani and Inspector General Training and Evaluation Lt-Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Also, Gen Raheel has phoned the father of Captain Rohullah Mohmand and paid rich tributes to his services for the nation.

Capt Rohullah, a commando of the military’s Special Service Group (SSG) -- the country’s elite commando force -- lost his life on Tuesday during the clearance operation launched by the Pakistan Army in a police training centre in Quetta, where militants launched an attack killing 61 people.

Captain Rohullah’ father Dr Habibullah, confirming the phone call, quoted Gen Raheel as saying that the sacrifice rendered by his son would not go in vain and lauded the exceptional gallantry shown by the fallen soldier.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2016.