Brasilia: Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif was honoured on Wednesday with Brazil’s coveted “Order of Merit” award.
“COAS [Chief of Army Staff] was awarded Brazil’s coveted Award “Order of Merit” in a special ceremony in recognition of his leadership for successful fight against multiple threats,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General, Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa, said on Twitter.
“Gen Raheel is the first Asian to have been honoured with this coveted award,” Bajwa added.
“Order of merit has been given to General Raheel Sharif for displaying remarkable courage to deal with the menace of terrorism, successfully leading the army in the face of multiple threats, giving hope to his nation against dismay and despondency and above all for his great efforts to promote peace and stability in the region,” a statement from the Brazilian government read.
“General Raheel Sharif through his undaunting resolve, unflinching sincerity and impeccable professional commitment has become a leading figure in the world. His contribution to promote exemplary ties between Pakistan and Brazil in general and the two armies in particular are enormous and unprecedented,” the statement added.
The army chief is currently on a three-day tour to Brazil. On Tuesday, General Raheel met with Brazil’s armed forces Chief of Joint Staff General Jose Carlos De Nardi, who lauded Pakistan Army’s professionalism and operational achievements especially in ongoing counter terrorism operations.
Meanwhile, in a meeting Brazil’s defence minister, General Raheel discussed relations between the two countries, and the common security challenges.
According to the ISPR, security assistance for Brazil Olympics 2016 also came under discussion.
