By Santhush Fernando | Asian Tribune
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His visit comes in the wake of Commander of Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik’s four day official visit to Colombo.
Gen. Kayani is scheduled call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and commanders of Sri Lanka’s tri-forces.
His visit was preceded by visits by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in last November and by Pakistani Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman three-day official visit last year.
A distinguished alumni of Jhelum Military College and Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Gen. Kayani is regarded by many as a true leader having a futuristic vision for the country’s military. He is also a graduate of United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; Command and Staff College, Fort Levinworth, Kansas; Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawai; and National Defence College, Islamabad.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, born in 1952, is a four star general in the Pakistan Army, who replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007.
Gen. Kayani was hailed for his leadership portrayed during his stints in the past as the former Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Director General of Military Operations (MO). Last July, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani extended Gen. Kayani’s term as CoAS by three years, making him the first Pakistani army chief to receive a term extension from any democratically-elected government.
Gen. Kayani was hailed by many, after he ordered military officers not to have links with politicians in January 2008 leading to the de-militarisation of Pakistan’s public administration. Later on he ordered the withdrawal of military officers from non-military public service reversing the policies of his predecessor, President Musharraf.
His gallantry shown during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, India–Pakistan standoff War in 2001 and the war in North-West Pakistan were highly commended.
In 2008 August following a request from Gen. Kayani, Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya said that Sri Lanka had happily agreed to give training to members of the Pakistani military.
Although India backed out from supplying military equipment to Sri Lanka during the final lap of the war, Pakistan had been a constant friend of Sri Lanka by continuing its supplies which was cited by many as being vital during that crucial stage.
© Asian Tribune
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