RAWALPINDI: A special farewell ceremony was held at Joint Staff Headquarters on Tuesday to honor outgoing Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Sahir Shamshad Mirza upon completion of his 40 years of distinguished military service.

The ceremony was attended by former chairmen Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and senior officers from the tri-services.

In his address, Sahir Shamshad Mirza thanked Almighty Allah for granting him the strength and guidance to fulfill his responsibilities with dedication, professionalism and selfless devotion. He paid rich tribute to the Armed Forces for their sacrifices in the defence of the country and expressed deep respect for the martyrs and their families.

He said that in the current geo-strategic environment, strong national defence is a vital pillar of national security and reaffirmed that Pakistan’s defences remain strong and its armed forces stand fully prepared to counter any threat.

Earlier, upon his arrival at Joint Staff Headquarters, a tri-services contingent presented him with a guard of honour.