ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy will host a multinational maritime exercise called ‘AMAN-21’ in the Arabian Sea later this month in which 45 countries are expected to participate, the navy said in a statement.
Commander Pakistan Fleet, Rear Admiral Naveed Ashraf, briefed the media about the exercise on Monday.
“Exercise AMAN, with the slogan ‘Together for Peace’ is being conducted on regular basis by Pakistan Navy biennially to project soft image of Pakistan,” a press release from the navy said. “The Exercise contributes toward regional peace and stability, resolve against terrorism in maritime domain, collaboration to maintain safe and sustainable maritime realm and above all enhance interoperability between regional and extra regional navies.”
Ashraf said this year’s exercise would be the seventh edition of AMAN with around 45 countries “participating with surface and air assets, Special Operation Forces/ Marine teams and observers/ senior officers.”
“The exercise has two major phases: harbor and sea phase,” the press release said. “Harbor activities would include seminars, discussions, demonstrations and international get-togethers. The sea phase would have tactical maneuvers on anti-piracy, counterterrorism, gunnery firing and search & rescue. Hallmark of the sea phase and Exercise AMAN — 21 would be International Fleet Review, witnessed by national and foreign dignitaries.”
Admiral Naveed Ashraf said AMAN would provide a “common forum for information sharing, mutual understanding and identifying the areas of common interests for all participating navies to achieve mutual goal of maintaining stability, peace and prosperity.”
Pakistan to host 45 navies for ‘peace’ exercise later this month
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Pakistan to host 45 navies for ‘peace’ exercise later this month
- This is the seventh edition of the AMAN exercise held by Pakistan Navy biennially to “project soft image” of the country
- Navy says exercise will provide participating navies a “common forum for information sharing, mutual understanding”
Pakistan highlights economic reforms at Davos, eyes cooperation in AI, IT and minerals
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at breakfast event in Davos at sidelines of World Economic Forum summit
- Pakistan, rich in gold, copper reserves, has sought cooperation with China, US, Gulf countries in its mineral sector
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s recent economic reforms during the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos on Wednesday, saying that his country was eyeing greater cooperation in mines and minerals, information technology, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence with other states.
The Pakistani prime minister was speaking at the Pakistan Pavilion in Davos on the sidelines of the WEF summit at a breakfast event. Sharif arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday to attend the 56th annual meeting of the WEF, which brings together global business leaders, policymakers and politicians to speak on social, economic and political challenges.
Pakistan has recently undertaken several economic reforms, which include removing subsidies on energy and food, privatization of loss-making state-owned enterprises and expanding its tax base. Islamabad took the measures as part of reforms it agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a financial bailout package.
“We are now into mines and minerals business in a big way,” Sharif said at the event. “We have signed agreements with American companies and Chinese companies.”
Islamabad has sought to attract foreign investment in its critical minerals sector in recent months. In April 2025, Pakistan hosted an international minerals summit where top companies and government officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, China, Türkiye, the UK, Azerbaijan, and other nations attended.
Pakistan is rich in gold, copper and lithium reserves as well as other minerals, yet its mineral sector contributes only 3.2 percent to the countrys GDP and 0.1 percent to global exports, according to official figures.
Sharif said Pakistan has been blessed with infinite natural resources which are buried in its mountains in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and southwestern Balochistan regions.
“But we have now decided to go forward at lightning speed,” he said. “And we are also moving speedily in the field of crypto, AI, IT.”
He said the government’s fiscal and economic measures have reduced inflation from nearly 30 percent a few years ago to single-digit figures, adding that its tax-to-GDP ratio had also increased from 9 to 10.5 percent.
The prime minister admitted Pakistan’s exports face different kinds of challenges collectively, saying the country’s social indicators needed to improve.
“But the way forward is very clear: that Pakistan has to have an export-led growth,” he said.
SHARIF MEETS IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR
Separately, Sharif met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on improvements in Pakistan’s macroeconomic indicators, efforts toward stability and progress on institutional reforms, a statement from Sharif’s office said.
He emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to fiscal discipline, revenue mobilization and sustainable development, it added.
The IMF managing director acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan’s reform efforts, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
“Both sides exchanged views on the global economic outlook, challenges facing emerging economies, and the importance of multilateral cooperation in safeguarding economic stability,” the PMO said.
