Pakistan’s Prime Minister visits army HQ for security briefing

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan visits the army’s General Headquarters, where he was welcomed by Chief of Army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. (ISPR photo)
Updated 31 August 2018
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Pakistan’s Prime Minister visits army HQ for security briefing

  • While the new administration faces acute economic challenges, PM Imran Khan assured the country’s military leaders that his government will provide all necessary resources to maintain the army’s capability and capacity
  • ‪Khan praised army personnel for their professionalism, operational readiness, contributions and sacrifices in the war against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new Prime Minister, Imran Khan, visited the Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday, where he received detailed briefings on the security environment in the country, the threat perception and planned responses. He was joined by other leading members of his cabinet, including the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, finance, and information.
A contingent of soldiers served as a guard of honor for Khan, who laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument in honor of military personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s PR wing, the PM and his cabinet members were also apprised of the army’s ongoing campaigns against terrorism, the security situation in Karachi, and the Khushal (or “prosperous“) Balochistan Program.

‪Khan praised army personnel for their professionalism, operational readiness, contributions and sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He said that Pakistan faces internal and external challenges, but expressed optimism that the country would overcome them by instilling a sense of greater national cohesion in its people.
While the new administration faces acute economic challenges, the prime minister assured the military leadership that his government will provide all necessary resources to maintain the army’s capability and capacity. He added that Pakistan was destined to rise and would continue to be positively relevant to the world at large.
‪Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa thanked the prime minister for his visit and expressing his confidence in the military. He added that his institution would continue to live up to the expectations of the nation and defend the country at all costs.
 


Pakistan, Indonesia sign MoUs to expand cooperation as Islamabad seeks to ease trade imbalance

Updated 4 sec ago
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Pakistan, Indonesia sign MoUs to expand cooperation as Islamabad seeks to ease trade imbalance

  • Pakistan offers to send doctors and medical experts to support Indonesia’s expanding health needs
  • Indonesian president highlights close foreign policy coordination with Pakistan, including on Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Indonesia signed seven memoranda of understanding on Tuesday to deepen cooperation in trade, education and health, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying Islamabad aimed to narrow a $4.5 billion bilateral trade imbalance heavily tilted in Jakarta’s favor.

The agreements were concluded during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s two-day visit to Pakistan, his first trip to the country since taking office and the first by an Indonesian head of state in seven years.

Subianto, who arrived on Monday, held detailed talks with Sharif before the signing ceremony.

“Our discussion has been extremely productive,” Sharif said at a joint media appearance. “More than 90 percent of our current imports from Indonesia are palm oil. We have discussed how to take corrective measures to balance this through Pakistan’s agri-exports, IT-led initiatives and other areas.”

Sharif earlier noted Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Indonesia stood at around $4.5 billion, with the imbalance overwhelmingly in Jakarta’s favor.

Subianto thanked Pakistan for what he called an exceptionally warm welcome, noting his aircraft had been escorted by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets.

He said the meeting had produced agreements across several fields, including trade, agriculture, education and science and technology.

The Indonesian president also welcomed Pakistan’s offer to help his country address critical shortages of medical professionals.

“Indonesia has vast needs for doctors, dentists and medical experts, and Pakistan’s support in this regard is strategic and critical,” he said.

Sharif noted Pakistan would be ready to send doctors, dentists and medical professors to assist Indonesia’s plans to expand its medical colleges and universities.

He added that Islamabad would “work closely and diligently” with Jakarta to achieve the targets set during the visit.

Subianto said both countries were also coordinating closely on foreign policy, particularly on developments in Gaza, and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution.

He invited Sharif to visit Jakarta to deepen cooperation under the new agreements.

Pakistan and Indonesia marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, with both leaders saying the visit would help lift relations to what Sharif called “a much higher level” in trade, development and people-to-people links.