The first question that comes to my mind when thinking about Raheel Sharif is: Is he a gallant knight during these modern times? The benchmark set by the soon-to-be-ex-COAS Raheel Sharif has left the to-be COAS in a state of consternation, while the whole nation is feeling delirious.

Raheel Sharif not only acted as a COAS but he represented himself more as a father to this state. Believed to be the king of the people and society, he completely won the hearts of people. And in this time, Mr. Nawaz Sharif wrought himself more “Prime-Ministerially” than he has ever done through any of his preceding tenures.

Through the past decades, huge external forces had crowded and jostled their way into our country, and if it hadn’t been for Raheel Sharif, we would have been long a sunken state.  Just like a damp and ramshackle cottage, the government was never concerned for a thatch on our heads.

From operation Zarb-e-Azb to dealing with day-to-day issues, Raheel Sharif handled it all with quiet aplomb. On-duty and off-duty, it’s completely conspicuous that he did everything for the good of our land.

Whatever caught up with our national and international safeties, we always had this feeling at the back of our minds that Raheel Sharif is there to protect our country. Whatsoever our government botched to do, our meagre petitions were heard and heeded to by the COAS, nonetheless.

Being one of a kind, Raheel Sharif absolutely stayed away from politics. He was involved just enough to make sure that the Prime Minister knew that “I am watching you, Primey!” Guess that single look was enough.

Furthermore, he has also been the supreme trendsetter on social media. Whenever he committed a virtuous chore in the service of our homeland, there always followed these certain hashtag trends on Twitter and Facebook, especially on the inauguration of CPEC, such as #ThankyouRaheelSharif #SaviorOfPakistan and, in the end, #PleaseDontGo.

Let’s just hope for the best and see what the new COAS has in store for us! Is he palpable or completely furtive? Because to make our country work it requires an actual deft hand rather than a hand of steel. 

Let’s not disparage. Instead, let us again be optimistic that the to-be COAS will help in making our country more neighbour-friendly than it was in the past, because there is already speculation circulating about some not-so-welcoming and brittle actions being executed on our borders.