Colombo, June 27 (TNS): Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday on a four day official visit on an invitation extended by the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne.
Lankan Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne together with Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake welcomed General Hayat. Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka was also present at the occasion.
General Hayat is scheduled to call on the President, Secretary to the Ministry of Defense, Chief of Defense Staff, tri-service Commanders and a few more military leaders. During these meetings he is expected to discuss matters on enhancing defense cooperation especially in the areas of training and military exercises.
General Hayat is also expected to pay a visit to the National War Heroes’ memorial at Sri Jayewardenepura. He is also scheduled to deliver a guest lecture at the Defense Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Sapugaskanda. In addition, the top General will officially hand over six stallions as gifts from Pakistan to the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Hailing from a military family General Zubair Mahmood Hayat had joined the Pakistan Army in 1976 and since had held various Command and Staff appointments.
He is a graduate from the Fort Sill Oklahoma USA, Command and Staff College Camberely, UK and the National Defense University Islamabad.
He is also a recipient of the Humanities Gold Medal, Master Gunner and Master War Fighter awards.
General Hayat was promoted to the present rank on 27th November, 2016.
