Visit to Australia by Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif

The Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has today departed Australia after a counterpart visit from 3 to 8 August hosted by the Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO.

General Raheel met with the Secretary of Defence Dennis Richardson, Vice Chief of the Defence Force Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO CSC RAN and other senior Defence and government officials in Canberra, and visited operational units in Brisbane and Sydney.

LTGEN Morrison said the visit affirmed the importance of the bilateral defence relationship to both sides.

“As longstanding friends, Australia and Pakistan look forward to continuing to work together, through exercises, senior visits and strategic dialogues, as well as through military training,” LTGEN Morrison said.

General Raheel also took part in a working lunch at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

These meetings provided the opportunity to exchange perspectives on shared security issues - in particular the future of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s efforts to counter militant extremism, notably through the Pakistan military’s current operation against terrorists in North Waziristan.

This is the first visit to Australia by a Pakistani four-star General since November 2012.

General Raheel warmly thanked the Army for its hospitality and excellent visit program, expressing his hope that Australian defence personnel would visit Pakistan in the near future.

Media note:
Imagery is available at http://images.defence.gov.au/S20142300

Media contact:
Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999