Pakistan Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) today has test fired improved version of Shaheen IA (Hatf-IV) intermediate range ballistic missile which can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads.

Shaheen IA (Hatf-IV) is a highly capable single stage solid fuel missile which employs terminal guidance to destroy its target with pinpoint accuracy.

Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General ® Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Chairman NESCOM Muhammad Irfan Burney, Commander Army Strategic Force Command, Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani witnessed the test of the Shaheen 1A ballistic missile.

PAF and Army Aviation elements provided close support to the maneuvering land forces. The modern battlefield was simulated by employment of UAVs for real time battle reconnaissance, along with state of the art data communication means.

 COAS appreciated the standard of training as well as various modifications indigenously carried out in field equipment, to make it more suitable to Pakistan Army’s needs.Earlier, COAS was received at Multan by Corps Commander Multan Corps, Lieutenant General Shafqaat Ahmed.

Pakistan Navy has inducted its PNS Azmat Fast Attack Missile Craft (FAMC) to supplement its fleet of warships. Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy, Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila was the chief guest at the commissioning ceremony of PNS Azmat at the Xingang Shipyard in Tianjin, China. 

Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy,  Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila said, “Its immense firepower coupled with stealthy features makes it a real versatile platform which would not only prove vital for ensuring effective presence in our area of operations, but would bring a new dimension of operation of stealthy platform of this tonnage.” 

PNS Azmat long Fast Attack Craft (Missile) which will be equipped with eight C-802A/CSS-N-8 Saccade anti-ship missiles. Second Fast Attack Craft (Missile) of the AZMAT class has been named PNS/M Dehshat.

The Graduation Ceremony of Combat Commanders' Course was held at the Pakistan Air Force Base Mushaf.   Ceremony at the  Pakistan Air Force's Combat Commanders' School was attended by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt.

In his speech, Chief of the Air Staff said that any future conflict in our region would entail the employment of air power in a manner that we have not witnessed before. The application of air power at different levels and modes could stretch our limited resources to the maximum and test our resolve. It is for this reason alone, that our force structuring and operational training must continue to evolve progressively to meet the future challenges.

War veteran of the  1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry (retired) of the Pakistan Air Force ( PAF) has died in Lahore today.  The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt has expressed his extreme grief and extended his deepest sympathies and profound condolences to the family of Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry over the loss of  great fighter pilot and true patriot.

Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry is considered as a true source of inspiration for all ranks and files of Pakistan Air Force due to his legendary career as a fighter pilot who fought in a number of aerial battles and he was awarded Sitara-e-Jurat and Tamgha-e-Jurat for his bravery.

Cecil Chaudhry was credited with several air-to-air kills and was one of the distinguished Pakistani strike and fighter pilots of the period. Chaudhry showed his true colours in the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, by displaying outstanding professionalism, unflinching devotion and exemplary courage. The services rendered by the legend were beyond the call of normal duty and contributed a significant share towards PAF achieving air superiority during the Indo-Pak war of 1965.

 He was part of the famous attack formation, responsible for the destruction of Halwara airfield and the Amritsar radar in 1965 war. In recognition of his meritorious services, he was awarded with Sitara-e-Jurat and Sitara-i-Basalat. Group Captain Chaudhry was born on 27 August 1941 to a Christian (Roman Catholic) family of the village Dalwal, located in the Salt Range.

 He joined the Pakistan Air Force on March 12 1958 and was commissioned in the GD (P) branch on 26 June 1960. During his career in the Pakistan Air Force, he commanded two Mirage squadrons and Combat Commanders School (CCS).

Despite weather hazards, rescue work continues at Gayari. A total of 452 person including 69 civilians are employed on relief efforts. 2 Dozers, 2 JCB (Earth Mover), 3 Excavator and 2 dumpers are working day and night on the site.

 Five points have been identified on the site where rescue work is in progress. Two points are being dug with equipment while three points are being dug manually.

 Foreign rescue teams, Six members German team, three member Switzerland team have arrived in Pakistan and waiting for weather clearance to proceed to Gayari.

Seven members SPD team is using life detection kit and thermal imaging camera during the rescue operation.

An expert team comprising 3 individuals from Switzerland has arrived last night to assist in Gayari rescue operations. Another disaster management team comprising 6 individuals alongwith necessary equipment from Germany has also arrived in Islamabad.

They have so far cleared one platform measuring a 40 feet length, 30 feet wide and 10 feet deep. 5 helicopters are taking part in the operation while heavy machinery, additional manpower including technical experts from National Disaster Management Authority and Strategic Planning Division have been moved from Islamabad via C 130.

Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Siachen, today, to personally see the rescue operation launched to recover 139 soldiers and civilians trapped under the avalanche. COAS was accompanied by Corps Commander Lieutenant General Khalid Nawaz Khan. Major General Ikram ul Haq, Commander FCNA apprised the COAS about the details of rescue operation.

 COAS, while visiting the site of rescue operation, said that avalanche of such a magnitude was unprecedented in last twenty years of this Battalion Headquarters existence at Gayari. COAS further said that Army has mobilized all available resources with the assistance of PAF to carry out full scale rescue operation.

 He appreciated the morale and efforts of troops who are braving the harsh weather and inhospitable terrain. COAS instructed the Commanders to optimally utilize all available resources at their disposal and leave no stone unturned to reach out to the entrapped personnel. COAS said that efforts are underway to acquire latest technical equipment for the rescue.

 COAS emphasized that calamity in no way should affect the morale of the troops defending the motherland at the highest battlefield. He said Pakistan Army has always risen to the occasion and will come through this challenge as well.


Names of persons buried under snow slide in Gayari sector near Skardu.


Officers
1.            PA-32596 Lt Col Tanvir Ul Hassan

2.            PA-39548 Maj Zaka Ul Haq

3.            PA-105358 Capt Haleem Ullah( AMC)

Junior Commission Officers
4.    N/Sub Khurshid

5.    N/Sub Didar

6.    N/Sub Malik

7.    N/Sub Iftikhar

Havildar
8.    Hav Rehber

9.    Hav Haji Shafayat

10. Hav Zakir

11. Hav Gulfraz

12. Hav Shah Nawaz

13. Hav Musadiq

14. Hav Rustam

15. Hav Shad

16. Hav Ghulam Muhammad

17. Hav Sher Nayab

18. Hav Ishaq

19. Hav Tanvir

Lance Havildar / NaiK

20. L/Hav Mustafa

21. L/Hav Ghulam Qadir

22. Nk Ashraf

23. Nk Sartaj

24. Nk Mudasar

25. Nk Jabbar

Lance Naik / Sepoy

26. Lnk Irshad

27. Lnk Sami Ullah

28. Lnk Sharafat

29. Lnk Mustafa

30. Lnk Himayat

31. Lnk Altaf

32. Lnk Mir Hussain

33. Lnk Irfan

34. Sep Ali Zar

35. Sep Saleem

36. Sep Malik Riaz

37. Sep Jamil

38. Sep Akhtar

39. Sep Nadir Wali

40. Sep Israr

41. Sep Sajid

42. Sep Naseer

43. Sep Dildar

44. Sep Zaman

45. Sep Irfan Khalil

46. Sep Waseem

47. Sep Ehsan

48. Sep Ashraf

49. Sep Riaz

50. Sep Shoaib

51. Sep Iqbal

52. Sep Mumtaz

53. Sep Haider

54. Sep Mehtab

55. Zulqarnain

56. Sep Ghulab Shah

57. Sep Rehmat Wali

58. Sep Nadeem

59. Sep Nafs Ali

60. Sep Nadeem Hashmi

61. Sep Qurban

62. Sep Muhammad Khan

63. Sep Akbar

64. Sep Ali Muhammad

65. Sep Muhammad Ali

66. Sep Amin

67. Sep Fiaz

68. Sep Shakeel

69. Sep Siraj

70. Sep Fazal Abbas

71. Sep Javed

72. Sep Javed

73. Sep Sakhi Zaman

74. Sep Sajjad Kazmi

75. Sep Fida Hussain

76. Sep Naeem

77. Sep Shamim

78. Sep Zakir

79. Sep Nisar Hussain

80. Sep Aurangzeb

81. Sep Arshad

82. Sep Sultan

83. Sep Muhammad Hussain

84. Sep Nasir

85. Sep Ilyas

86. Sep Mukhtiar

87. Sep Fida Hussain

88. Sep Zaheer

89. Sep Naseer

90. Sep Aftab

91. Sep Adil

92. Sep Muzamil

93. Sep Sarfraz

94. Sep Shameer

95. Sep Soba Khan

96. Sep Abid

97. Sep Ishaq

98. Sep Aksar Zaman

99. Sep Najeeb Ullah

100.      Sep Siraj Ud Din

101.      Sep Jaffar

102.      Sep Ansar

103.      Sep Ishaq

104.      Sep Ghulam Rasool

105.      Sep Muhammad Hussain

106.      Sep Jumma khan

107.      Sep Muhammad Ali

108.      Sep Zakir Kawardo

109.      Sep Ghulam Mehdi

110.      Sep Ghazi Shah

111.      Sep Sana Ullah

112.      Sep Imtiaz

113.      Sep Hameed Ullah

114.      Sep Sadiq Gultri

115.      Sep  Gul Daz ( FS Sec)

Clerks

116.      Nk / Clk Ghulam Nabi

117.      Nk/ Clk Ghulam Ali

Cooks

118.      Sep/Ck Muhammad Ali

119.      Sep/Ck Karim

120.      Sep/Ck Ghulam Mehdi

Sweepers
121.      Moon Gul

122.      Asif

123.      Naveed

124.      Ali

Civilian (paid out of defence establishment)
125.      Jalil (Waiter)

126.      Hameed ( Waiter)

127.      Nasrullah (Barber)

128.      Muhammad Ameer (Barber)

129.      Waheed ( Canteen)

130.      Azeem (Canteen)

131.      Sarfraz (Dhobi)

132.      Wali (Dhobi)

133.      Noor Shah ali (Dhobi)

134.      Sabir (Tailor)

135.      Ghulam Rasool (NCB)   - Uncfm/Suspected

General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Jhelum and Tilla Ranges, today. At Tilla Ranges, COAS witnessed the training manoeuvres of Strike Corps elements, with Close Air Support of PAF components.

 COAS emphasized that Army's current commitments against militancy must not dilute response and training for conventional warfare. Earlier, COAS visited the Pakistan Army Rifle Association Ranges at Jhelum to witness the ongoing matches of 19th National Shooting Championship.

 He appreciated the standards of marksmanship displayed by the participants. Lieutenant General Muzzammil Hussain, Inspector General Training and Evaluation, accompanied the COAS on the occasion. Earlier on arrival at Tilla, COAS was received by Commander Mangla Corps, Lieutenant General Tariq Khan.

Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander Sri Lanka Army called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, today. 

Discussions were focused on bilateral relations with emphasis on security and defence aspects.

 Earlier, on arrival, the dignitary was presented a Guard of Honour by a smartly turned out contingent at Yadgar-e-Shuhada, GHQ.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Muzaffargarh Ranges, today, to witness ongoing training activities of Army Air Defence units. The day’s activities involved live firing of several air defence weapons on the inventory of Pakistan Army. These included short range Surface to Air Missiles, shoulder fired weapons and Anti Aircraft guns.