Outgoing military chief General Raheel Sharif warned India Tuesday it would be dangerous to mistake his country's "restraint" over recent tensions in disputed Kashmir for weakness, as he handed over power to his successor. The hugely popular General Raheel Sharif spoke at a colourful ceremony welcoming the incoming chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at a stadium at army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital Islamabad.
"Unfortunately, in recent months, increasing state terrorism in (Indian) occupied Kashmir, and India's aggressive steps have put the region's peace in danger," Sharif said. "I want to make it clear to India that considering our policy of restraint a weakness would be dangerous for her," he said to applause.
"This is reality, that in South Asia, lasting peace and progress is impossible without solution of the Kashmir issue. For that, international community's special attention is necessary," he continued. Pakistan on Saturday named Bajwa as its new military chief as Sharif stepped down from a three-year tenure, winning praise for respecting democracy even as many Pakistanis called for him to extend his term.
Military bands played as uniformed soldiers marched at the ceremony Tuesday, where the outgoing chief gives his wooden cane to his successor, symbolising the handover of power. The Pakistani military plays an outsize role in national life, offering the armed reassurance against arch-rival India that many Pakistanis see as vital to their identity.