(UTV|COLOMBO) – Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne together with Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake welcomed Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, who arrived in Sri Lanka on a four-day official visit on Wednesday (27).
General Hayat, who is here on an invitation extended by the Chief of Defence Staff, is scheduled to call on President Maithripala Sirisena, the Defence Secretary, the Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-Service Chiefs and other Military leaders.
He is expected to discuss matters on enhancing defence cooperation, especially in the areas of training and military exercises.
General Hayat is also expected to pay a visit to the National War Heroes’ Memorial at Sri Jayewardenepura. He is scheduled to deliver a guest lecture at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Sapugaskanda. In addition, General Hayat will officially hand over six stallions as gifts from Pakistan to the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Hailing from a Military family, General Hayat had joined the Pakistan Army in 1976. Since then he has held various command and staff appointments. He is a graduate of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA, Command and Staff College, Camberly, UK and the National Defence University, Islamabad. He is a recipient of the Humanities Gold Medal, Master Gunner and Master War Fighter awards.
General Hayat was promoted to the present rank on November, 27, 2016. General Hayat is also the senior most Four-Star Military Officer of the Islamic Republic.
High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat was also present on the occasion.
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