ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates conferred the Order of Independence medal on Pakistan’s Ambassador Moazzam Ahmad Khan during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the award on top Pakistani diplomat “in recognition of his efforts toward the development and strengthening of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries,” Pakistan Embassy in UAE said in a statement.
The medal was presented by UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a ceremony held at the ministry.
Sheikh Abdullah commended Ambassador Khan for his “meritorious services in enhancing ties between the two countries, and wished him success in his f.uture assignment,” the statement added.
The Pakistani envoy thanked the foreign minister for the honor and expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership and people for their support and cooperation during his tenure. “He recalled the recent high-level exchanges between the leadership of the two countries, and their shared commitment to take the relationship to the next level,” the UAE Embassy said.
Ambassador Khan “paid tribute to the UAE leadership for its vision and policies that has guided the UAE to emerge as a global model for development, tolerance and co-existence,” the statement read.
Having served in the UAE for almost three years, Khan is now proceeding to Islamabad as Special Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan and the UAE have always enjoyed cordial relations. With the emergence of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration on his country’s political horizon, the friendly bond between the two states has further been strengthened.
While Pakistani nationals based in Dubai and other emirates have contributed significantly to their host country, the UAE has also undertaken important humanitarian work in the South Asian state and helped Islamabad deal with its current account deficit and balance of payments crisis.
Pakistan’s envoy receives ‘Order of Independence’ medal from UAE President
Pakistan’s envoy receives ‘Order of Independence’ medal from UAE President
- The envoy was awarded for his ‘meritorious services’ for enhancing bilateral ties
- The UAE has been doing significant humanitarian work in Pakistan
Pakistan and Indonesia closing in on jets and drones defense deal — officials
- Interest in the Pakistani military’s weapons development program has surged since its jets were deployed in a four-day conflict with India last year
- The JF-17s have been at the center of that growing attention, figuring in a deal with Azerbaijan and a $4 billion weapons pact with Libyan National Army
ISLAMABAD/JAKARTA: Indonesia’s defense minister met Pakistan’s air force chief in Islamabad to discuss a potential deal that includes the sale of combat jets and killer drones to Jakarta, three security officials with knowledge of the meeting on Monday said.
The talks come as Pakistan’s defense industry moves forward with a series of defense procurement negotiations, including deals with Libya’s National Army and Sudan’s army, and looks to establish itself as a sizable regional player.
Indonesia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the meeting between Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
“The meeting focused on discussing general defense cooperation relations, including strategic dialogue, strengthening communication between defense institutions, and opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in the long term,” defense ministry spokesperson Brig. General Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters, adding the talks had not yet led to concrete decisions.
One source said the talks revolved around the sale of JF-17 jets, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and killer drones designed for surveillance and striking targets. The other two sources said the talks were in an advanced stage and involved more than 40 JF-17 jets. One of them said Indonesia was also interested in Pakistan’s Shahpar drones.
The sources did not share any discussions about delivery timelines and the number of years a proposed deal would span.
The Pakistani military’s public relations wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
INDONESIA REPLACING AGEING AIR FORCE FLEET
One additional security source with knowledge of military procurement talks said Pakistan was discussing the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets, air defense systems, training for junior, mid-level, and senior Indonesian air force officials, and engineering staff.
“The Indonesia deal is in the pipeline,” retired Air Marshal Asim Suleiman, who remains briefed on air force deals, told Reuters, adding that the number of JF-17 jets involved was close to 40.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto was in Pakistan last month for a two-day visit for talks on improving bilateral ties, including defense.
Indonesia has put in a slew of orders for jets in the past few years, including 42 French Rafale jets worth $8.1 billion in 2022 and 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkiye last year to strengthen its air force and replace its aging air force fleet.
Jakarta has also considered buying China’s J-10 fighter jets and is in talks to purchase US-made F-15EX jets.
PAKISTAN’S RISING DEFENCE INDUSTRY
Interest in the Pakistani military’s weapons development program has surged since its jets were deployed in a short conflict with India last year.
The JF-17s have been at the center of that growing attention, figuring in a deal with Azerbaijan and the $4 billion weapons pact with the Libyan National Army. Pakistan is also eyeing a defense pact with Bangladesh that could include the Super Mushshak training jets and JF-17s, as ties improve with Dhaka.
Reuters has also reported that Islamabad was in talks with Riyadh for a defense deal that could be worth between $2 billion and $4 billion and involves the conversion of Saudi loans into military supplies.
