Gen Asim attends mega shooting event

RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir Thursday attended the closing ceremony of the 44th Pakistan Army Rifle Association (PARA) Central Meet as the chief guest at the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), Jhelum. The mega shooting event was conducted from October 14 through November 28. Over 2,000 firers from the army, navy, air force and civil armed forces including Rangers (Sindh & Punjab), teams ex-Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Federal Rifle Association, Lahore Garrison Shooting Gallery (LGSG) and civilians participated in the competition.

The COAS and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, who was the Guest of Honor at the ceremony, awarded trophies and medals to the award winners and runners-up in each category. In the Inter Services matches, the Pakistan Army won three contests, including CJCSC, COAS and CNS matches, while the Pakistan Air Force won the CAS contest.

Pakistan Army secured the overall Championship Trophy. The FTR team trophy was won by the Pakistan Army led by Lieutenant General Ahsan Gulrez. The President’s Cup National Challenge match trophy was awarded to Naik Waseem Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Army. Pakistan Air Force won the Prime Minister ‘Skills at Arms’ Big Bore National Challenge. Azad Kashmir Regiment won the first prize in para-firing matches (infantry squad).

The highest military shooting honor, ‘The Master at Arms’ Trophy was awarded to Sepoy Aftab Ahmed of Punjab Regiment. The ‘Best Shot Match Trophy’ Group 2 and Group 3 was awarded to Lance Dafadar Muhammad Imran of Cavalry and Havaldar Fateh Ullah Khan of EME Battalion.

Interacting with the participants, the COAS appreciated the firers for their excellent standards of marksmanship. Terming shooting skill the hallmark of a professional soldier, he said, “Attaining proficiency at shooting must remain at the heart of basic military training objectives”. Earlier on arrival, the COAS was received by the Commander Rawalpindi Corps.