COAS attends closing ceremony of 44th Pakistan Army Rifle Association Central Meet

Rawalpindi: The closing ceremony of 44th Pakistan Army Rifle Association (PARA) Central Meet was held on Thursday at Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), Jhelum.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The mega shooting event was conducted from 14 October to 28 November 2024.

Over 2000 firers from Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces including Rangers (Sindh & Punjab), teams ex Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Federal Rifle Association, Lahore Garrison Shooting Gallery (LGSG) and civilians participated in the competition.

COAS and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, who was the Guest of Honor at the ceremony, awarded trophies and medals to the award winners and runners up in each category.

In the Inter Services matches, Pakistan Army won three contests including CJCSC, COAS and CNS matches, while Pakistan Air Force won CAS contest. Pakistan Army secured overall Championship Trophy.

FTR team trophy was won by Pakistan Army led by Lieutenant General Ahsan Gulrez.

The President’s Cup National Challenge match trophy was awarded to Naik Waseem Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Army. Pakistan Air Force won the Prime Minister ‘Skills at Arms’ Big Bore National Challenge. Azad Kashmir Regiment won the first prize in para firing matches (infantry squad).

The highest military shooting honor, ‘The Master at Arms’ Trophy was awarded to Sepoy Aftab Ahmed of Punjab Regiment. The ‘Best Shot Match Trophy’ Group 2 and Group 3 was awarded to Lance Dafadar Muhammad Imran of Cavalry and Havaldar Fateh Ullah Khan of EME Battalion.

While interacting with the participants, COAS appreciated the firers for their excellent standards of marksmanship. Terming shooting skill as the hallmark of a professional soldier, he said “attaining proficiency at shooting must remain at the heart of basic military training objectives”.

Earlier on arrival, COAS was received by Commander Rawalpindi Corps.