ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan launched a joint military exercise this week in the northern Pakistani city of Risalpur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan army’s media wing said on Friday, part of a longstanding defense cooperation deal between the two countries.
Royal Saudi land forces arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday and the exercise is expected to conclude on May 3, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The Pakistan army’s media wing said a detailed press statement would be issued once the military exercise was completed.
The exercise, called Kaseh 2, took place at Pakistan’s military college of engineering and is the second phase of a joint 2017 military drill held in the Tabuk region in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Director General of the Pakistan army’s department of engineering, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Ajmal Iqbal, welcomed Saudi Arabia’s participation and said he looked forward to more joint exercises in the future.
Commander of the Saudi army’s Engineers Battalion 7th brigade, Col. Saeed bin Ayed Al-Qahtani, thanked the Pakistani side for their hospitality and said the exercise aimed to improve combat capabilities of both countries.
“Everyone seeks to make this exercise a success and use every opportunity to achieve the aspirations of the military leaderships,” he said.
Joint military relations between the two countries expanded with the mutual cooperation program of 1967 under which Pakistan provides large-scale combined military training to Saudi armed forces. A 1982 protocol agreement widened the scope of military cooperation to include cooperation in defense production and science and technology.
Since then, both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have continued sharing military and intelligence data under a number of joint drills between their armies, navies and airforces.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia team up for ‘Kaseh 2’ military exercise
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia team up for ‘Kaseh 2’ military exercise
- Exercise is the second phase of a 2017 drill held in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense cooperation pact in 1967
Pakistan says PM Sharif has received invitation to join Gaza peace board
- Board is set to supervise temporary governance of Gaza
- Gaza has been under a shaky ceasefire since October
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the so-called “Board of Peace” for Gaza.
The White House on Friday announced some members of this board, which would outlive its role supervising the temporary governance of Gaza, under a fragile ceasefire since October.
The names include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump is the chair of the board, according to a plan the White House unveiled in October.
Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas signed off on Trump’s plan, which says a Palestinian technocratic administration will be overseen by an international board, which will supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the President of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions.”
Many rights experts and advocates have said Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembles a colonial structure, while Blair’s involvement was criticized last year due to his role in the Iraq war and the history of British imperialism in the Middle East.
The White House did not detail the responsibilities of each member of the board. The names do not include any Palestinians. The White House said more members will be announced over the coming weeks.
It also named a separate, 11-member “Gaza Executive Board” to support the technocratic body, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UN Middle East peace coordinator Sigrid Kaag, United Arab Emirates International Cooperation Minister Reem Al-Hashimy, and Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said the composition of this board had not been coordinated with Israel and contradicted its policy — possibly a reference to Fidan’s presence, as Israel objects to Turkish involvement.
With inputs from Reuters
