ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, held a meeting with the United Arab Emirates Navy chief and discussed cooperation in maritime affairs at Dubai Naval Headquarters on an official visit to the UAE, Pakistan Navy media wing said on Monday.
On Sunday, Admiral Abbasi held talks with UAE army chief and under-secretary of the defence ministry.
“On the second leg of visit he (Admiral Abbasi) will visit different units of UAE Navy,” Pakistan Navy said and added that the visit would “improve bilateral ties specially in the file of maritime affairs.”
Pakistan and UAE navies have maintained close relations over the decades and Pakistan Navy collaborates with its UAE counterparts on various professional issues including training exercises, provision of trained manpower and port visits by fleet units in line with their long-standing collaboration.
In February, a Pakistan Navy flotilla comprising navy ships TARIQ and HIMMAT visited Abu Dhabi to participate in a leading trade show, the International Defence Exhibition/ Naval Defence Exhibition.
In the same month, both navies conducted bilateral exercises aimed at enhancing interoperability between them.
“During two days exercise, a number of evolutions pertaining to Maritime Security Operations, Search and Rescue, maneuvering drills, Maritime Infrastructure Protection, Communication, and Warfare related exercise were undertaken,” Pakistan Navy had said after the joint exercise.
Pakistani naval chief, UAE counterpart discuss maritime cooperation in Dubai
Pakistani naval chief, UAE counterpart discuss maritime cooperation in Dubai
- Pakistan’s navy chief also met with the UAE army chief for talks
- Admiral Abbasi will visit UAE Navy Units
Pakistan invites investors, innovators to back tech partnerships, announces national AI event
- Indus AI Week 2026 to run Feb. 9–15 as IT minister cites inclusive AI policy launched last year
- The week-long event will bring together relevant officials, startups, investors and universities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday invited foreign investors and technology innovators to engage with its emerging artificial intelligence ecosystem as the government announced a week-long national AI initiative aimed at accelerating adoption across the public and private sectors.
Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government would host Indus AI Week 2026 from Feb. 9 to 15, building on Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy introduced last year to promote responsible use of the technology.
The announcement comes as Pakistan seeks to position itself as a credible participant in the global AI economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness AI for productivity, skills development and innovation while managing regulatory and ethical risks.
“With the introduction of Pakistan’s National AI Policy last year, we laid the foundation for responsible and inclusive AI development,” Khawaja said, according to an official statement circulated by her ministry. “Indus AI Week reflects our determination to take that work further by moving beyond dialogue and toward adoption.”
“We invite international partners, investors and innovators to engage with Pakistan’s growing AI landscape,” she added.
The initiative will be organized by the IT ministry through a public-private partnership and is designed as an open national platform bringing together policymakers, technology firms, startups, universities, students and the wider public.
The program will include a national technology showcase, startup and innovation sessions linking founders with investors, skills training and certification opportunities and public engagement activities aimed at translating AI policy into practical use cases.
The week will open with the Indus AI Summit at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Center on Feb. 9, followed by an innovation and learning arena at the Islamabad Sports Complex on Feb. 9-10, with universities, companies and public institutions across the country hosting parallel events through Feb. 15.
