Ceremonial handover of powers to new army chief General Sharif

(29 Nov 2013) Pakistan's army held an elaborate ceremony on Friday to mark the handover of power to a new chief of staff.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani stepped down after six years as army chief, passing the reins to his successor, General Raheel Sharif.
The handover ceremony in the garrison city of Rawalpindi included Kayani handing over a wooden baton symbolising the change of command.
In a speech to troops, Kayani said he was "confident" that under Sharif, the army "will play a full role in the unity and development of the country".
The army is considered the most powerful institution in Pakistan, which has experienced three military coups, and Kayani has played a hugely influential role in the country.
However, unlike many of his predecessors, Kayani was publicly adamant that the army should not overtly interfere in politics.
That stance allowed Pakistan to experience its first successful transition between democratically elected governments earlier this year - although the army has continued to play a powerful political role in the background, especially regarding policy toward the Afghan war and Pakistan's rival India.
Retired army officers have said they expect the new army chief will largely continue the policies of his predecessor.


Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...