Staff Reporter
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – The closing ceremony of 44th Pakistan Army Rifle Association (PARA) Central Meet was held on Thursday at the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), Jhelum. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir graced the occasion as chief guest. The mega shooting event was conducted from Oct 14 to Nov 28, 2024. Over 2,000 firers from Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces including Rangers (Sindh & Punjab), teams of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Federal Rifle Association, Lahore Garrison Shooting Gallery (LGSG) and civilians participated in the competition. The COAS and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, who was the guest of honour 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 Lt Gen 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, the COAS was received by Commander Rawalpindi Corps.
