Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan Army, General Raheel Sharif,  NI (M), arrives in Sri Lanka Wednesday (13) evening at the invitation of his Sri Lanka’s counterpart, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva.

During his five-day long stay, General Raheel Sharif is expected to pay courtesy calls on President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence, Secretary to Ministry of Defence, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Navy and Air Force.

Furthermore, he will visit several military establishments in Kandy, Galle, Diyatalawa, and Nuwara Eliya areas as parts of his itinerary in the island.

Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army, accompanied by Nayana De Silva, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit, will receive the visiting Pakistan Army Chief together with his delegation to a red carpet welcome at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport.

On Thursday (14) morning General Raheel Sharif, will be honoured at the Army Headquarters in a Guard Turnout and a special Guard of Honour salute before he formally calls on the Commander of the Army at the Commander’s office for formal exchange of views. The Army Seva Vanitha Unit has meanwhile organized a separate reception to Mrs Begum Fariha Raheel during her stay in Sri Lanka.

The visiting Army Chief of Pakistan is expected to gift a few horses to the Academy as gestures of goodwill and cooperation during his visit to the Sri Lanka Military Academy. He will also join a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Heroes’ monument in Diyatalawa.
(With inputs from army.lk)