Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Raheel Sharif on Thursday reached Bahawalpur arrived on a two-day visit to witness ongoing exercises of Bahawalpur and Multan formations in the Cholistan desert. Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said that CoAS General Raheel Sharif visited training area near Fort Abbas and Dingarh and witnessed training exercise of Bahawalpur Corps wherein the operational capability of the field formations is being tested in near war environment, to validate the new war fighting concept.
The exercise involves large scale integrated maneuvers of infantry, mechanised forces, combat aviation and PAF. Earlier on arrival in the field area, the Army Chief was given a detailed briefing on the aim and objectives of ongoing exercise by the Field Commander. The scope of the exercise includes offensive and defensive maneuvers by Army to ensure complete dominance of the battlefield.
The formations and units have been undergoing this exercise under strenuous field conditions for over one month now and the final phase of the exercise along with the validation is underway. While lauding the standard of training of participating troops, CoAS expressed his complete satisfaction over operational preparedness and training standards of the Army. He said all available means must be utilised to improve the operational capability of the Army to effectively respond to full spectrum of threat. Strenuous training and highest standard of preparedness in peacetime are the only guarantors of peace, he said. The Army Chief inaugurated the newly constructed Church and soldiers mess at Bahawalpur garrison. On arrival at Bahawalpur, the CoAS was received by Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal, Corps Commander.