Outgoing Army chief Kayani says Pak military can deal with any challenge

Islamabad: Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the powerful Army chief of Pakistan, today chaired a farewell meeting with his corps commanders and expressed confidence in the military`s ability to deal with any challenge.

Kayani, who will hang up his boots tomorrow after serving as the chief of Army for six years, discussed the country`s internal security situation along with professional matters pertaining to the armed forces with the Commanders at the Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. During the meeting, the corps commanders paid glowing tributes to the services rendered by 61-year-old Kayani. Kayani also lauded the cooperation and professional services delivered by the corps commanders. The Pakistan Army chief said the military was capable and equipped to deal with any challenge, adding that the troops had been trained to modernise from a professional point of view. Fifty-seven-year-old Lt Gen Raheel Sharif, who is considered an old India hand and whose elder brother died in the 1971 war with India, was chosen by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the new Army chief yesterday. Kayani, is the longest serving Army chief under a civilian government in the history of Pakistan.