Gen. Raheel Sharif embraces Cairo

Gen. Raheel Sharif embraces Cairo

Dr. Jassim Taqui

“Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies,” Rumi.

Islamabad; July 29, 2016: In a surprise move, the COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif paid a two-day official visit to Cairo. 

According to Radio Pakistan, Gen. Raheel Sharif was warmly received in Cairo. He met Chief of Staff and Defence Minister separately. He discussed Pakistan-Egypt military relations with the emphasis on enhancing defence and security collaboration, and training exchanges.

It is learned by Al- Bab that detailed discussion was held on a joint effort to fight terrorism. The sources said that the visit boosted significantly the military-to-military ties.

The Egyptian government also arranged a meeting with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who commended Pakistan Army’s success in fighting terrorism and Pakistan’s efforts for regional stability.

Another highlight of Gen. Raheel’s visit to Cairo was his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb in the prestigious Al-Azhar University. The army chief emphasized the need to harness Muslim youth towards enlightenment, technological advancement, moderation, and harmony.

The embrace of the two armies is one of the most important developments in the Middle East in view of the fact that rogue elements in the Western world and intelligence agencies are targeting the two countries.

Pakistan is facing terrorism from every corner, which is targeting the armed forces of Pakistan to weaken the only stable institution. 

Subsequently, the rogue elements would initiate the “grand game” of the disintegration of Pakistan in order to seize its nuclear weapons and put the nation at the mercy of India. The US President Barak Obama never concealed his mission of changing India into a regional superpower. He openly and repeatedly demanded that Pakistan should first freeze its nuclear programme and stop production of nuclear tactical weapons. 

On the other hand, Obama was keen to enhance the Indian nuclear weapons through agreeing to export US nuclear technology to India despite the fact that New Delhi made it clear to all world leaders that it would never sign NPT.

Similarly, attempts were made to disintegrate Egypt by hijacking the 2011 Arab Spring. However, the armed forces of Egypt intervened to control the situation and to resolutely defeat the mullahs everywhere. Thus, under El-Sisi, Egypt is progressing well in all fields.

All credits and tributes should be given to the Egyptian Ambassador Sharif Shaheen for his relentless efforts to break the status quo and revitalize the bilateral ties.

In fact, Pakistan is lucky to have a high profile diplomat, Sharif Shaheen, as Egyptian Ambassador to Pakistan. Shaheen is ranked the third most experienced diplomat in the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.