Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in town

General Khalid Shameem Wynne, NI (M), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Pakistan, is visiting Sri Lanka from 18-22 March on the invitation of Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal W.D.R.M.J. Goonetileke.

Wynne was commissioned in April 1972 in an infantry battalion. He is a graduate of Staff Course from Germany. He Commanded Southern Command in Quetta on promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General and later served as Chief of the General Staff in General Headquarters.

On 8 October 2010 he was promoted to the rank of General and assumed present appointment. The General Officer is a graduate of Armed Forces War College Islamabad and holds Masters Degree in War Studies and International Relations.

During his stay in Sri Lanka, Wynne will meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff and the Commanders of all the three services of Sri Lanka.

The Pakistani Four Star General is expected to visit Northern and Eastern Province including Kilinochchi and Trincomalee during his four-day stay here. On 21 March, General Wynne will be the Chief Guest on the occasion of launching of Pakistan NDU Alumni Chapter in Sri Lanka, a platform for Sri Lankan Officers of all three segments of the armed forces who attended training course at Pakistan’s National Defence University Islamabad.

The National Defence University (NDU) is the premier institution of Pakistan, catering for the needs of senior leadership from various segments of the society, both domestic and international, in comprehending security issues and policy / strategy formulation.

The NDU is a centre of excellence in academic and research pursuits in diversified disciplines providing well thought out inputs on national security at strategic level. The university imparts higher education in policy and strategy formulation at various tiers with emphasis on national security and defence and act as a national think tank. Several Senior Sri Lankan Officers from the armed forces have been attending courses at the NDU annually.

The visit of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Pakistan to Sri Lanka is of immense importance as the time tested relationship between the two friendly countries is transforming on to a different pedestal of association after the war ended in Sri Lanka.

It is relevant to add that Pakistan is one of those very few countries which provided all out support to Sri Lankan stance on allegation of human rights issue recently brought up at the UNHRC Session.    

Since independence, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have consistently maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relations especially in the field of defence. Both nations have assisted each other during testing times in their histories.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have comprehensive and mutually beneficial training collaboration for Army, Navy and Air Force. Over a period of time, a strong bond of commitment and mutual understanding has been reached between both the friendly armed forces.