New Pak COAS will face internal challenges of politics, terrorism

The two major internal challenges in front of Pakistan's new chief of army staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif will be to continue the culture of non-interference in civilian affairs and fighting terrorism, the US media reported.

General Sharif will also face several external challenges, including withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan next year and the continued criticism of CIA drone strikes inside Pakistan, Dawn News reports.

Surpassing the most senior general of the country to appoint General Sharif as the new COAS is said to be Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's most crucial decision of his tenure.

According to the report, General Sharif, as the Inspector General Training and Evaluation, had revised the army training manual to concentrate more on the internal threat and guerrilla warfare to counter attack the Talban, which the biggest threat to the nation.