RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that the nation owes peace to the devotion of those officers and soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

The COAS was speaking at an investiture ceremony held at the General Headquarters on Wednesday where he conferred military awards on army personnel for acts of gallantry during operations.

Families of shuhada and ghazis also attended the ceremony, said a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media affairs wing of Pakistan Army.

Thirty-five officers were awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), 36 officers and soldiers were awarded Tamgha-i-Bisalat and seven soldiers were awarded the United Nations (UN) medal.

Medals of martyrs were received by their family members.

“We owe peace and stability to the selfless devotion and sacrifices of these officers and soldiers who are our real heroes,” the COAS said while paying tribute to shuhada and ghazis. “There is no noble cause than laying one’s life for defence of motherland and the sacrifices of our martyrs would not go to waste,” he added.

Gen Bajwa lauded the families of martyrs for the supreme sacrifices they rendered for the country.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2019