Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has kicked off his farewell visits nearly a week before he is expected to retire.
DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa announced that General Sharif began his visits on Monday at the Lahore Garrison where he addressed and thanked a huge gathering of soldiers of the Pakistan Army and Rangers, reports the Dawn.
Earlier, speculations were rife that the Chief of Army Staff may seek an extension, but the army spokesman later rubbished the rumours quoting General Sharif as saying he will "retire on the due date" in November this year.
General Sharif is expected to pass on the baton of command of the army to the next army chief at a ceremony by the end of this month.
He would be the first army chief to retire on time in two decades. His predecessors General Kayani and General Pervez Musharraf got extensions, while General Jehangir Karamat was sent home prematurely.