ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new navy chief, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, took charge of the country’s naval force on Saturday after a change of command ceremony was held at the PNS Zafar in the capital city.
Pakistan Navy announced Ashraf’s appointment on Tuesday as the country’s 23rd naval chief, saying that he would be promoted to the rank of admiral on Saturday. During the televised change of command ceremony, outgoing Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi handed over the reins of the navy to his successor and wished him luck.
“As I hand over the command of the navy to Admiral Ashraf, I wish him the best of luck and a rewarding tenure in office,” Niazi said during his farewell address.
“The admiral has a distinguished career, studded with notable achievements and I am sure he would prove to be an able and worthy successor who will lead the navy to new heights, God willing.”
Niazi said Pakistan’s navy stands as a “vital arm” of the country’s armed forces, adding that it has also emerged as an effective contributor toward the socio-economic uplift of the country nationally and internationally.
Ashraf was commissioned in the Operations Branch of the Pakistan Navy in 1989. He is a graduate of the National Defense University in Islamabad, the US Naval War College, and the UK’s Royal College of Defense Studies.
According to Radio Pakistan, Ashraf has “vast experience” of working in key command and staff positions and before his appointment as navy chief, was serving as chief of staff at the Naval Headquarters.
Ashraf has been awarded prestigious Pakistani medals Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Basalat for his professional services and courage.
Pakistan’s new naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf takes charge
https://arab.news/4exy2
Pakistan’s new naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf takes charge
- Admiral Naveed Ashraf takes charge of country’s naval forces during televised change of guard ceremony
- Prior to his appointment, Admiral Ashraf was serving as chief of staff at Pakistan’s Naval Headquarters
Pakistan assembly speaker, Indian FM shake hands in first high-level contact since May
- Tensions persist between India and Pakistan after they engaged in brief military conflict in May this year
- Pakistan assembly speaker, Indian FM both attend former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia’s funeral in Dhaka
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shook hands in Dhaka on Wednesday, establishing the first high-level contact between officials of both countries since their brief military conflict in May.
Sadiq and Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka to attend the funeral of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. Diplomats from several countries attended Zia’s funeral on Wednesday, which drew large crowds to the Bangladeshi capital.
Tensions persist between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, who engaged in a four-day military conflict in May this year. The conflict was triggered when India blamed Pakistan for supporting a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April that killed over 20 tourists. Pakistan denied involvement and called for a transparent probe into the incident.
“Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, exchanges greetings with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Dhaka on Wednesday ahead of the funeral program of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia,” the official X account of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Younus wrote.
https://x.com/ChiefAdviserGoB/status/2006340330585833665
Sadiq also met Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, the acting chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to convey condolences over his mother’s demise from the people and government of Pakistan, the Pakistan High Commission in Bangladesh said.
“During the meeting, he recalled Begum Zia’s remarkable political leadership and noted her pivotal role in promoting historical affinities, mutual respect and cooperation between our two nations,” the high commission wrote on social media platform X.
https://x.com/PakinBangladesh/status/2006313161088204976
Senior officials from both India and Pakistan have refrained from shaking hands or exchanging pleasantries since the May conflict, as tensions persist between the two sides.
The May conflict saw both countries exchange artillery fire, pound each other with fighter jets and trade missiles and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
Sadiq is expected to meet senior officials of Bangladesh’s interim government during his trip, according to an earlier statement issued by his office.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had described Zia as a “committed friend of Pakistan” on Tuesday, praising her role in Bangladesh’s political life and expressing solidarity with the Bangladeshi people during what he called a difficult moment.
Zia, who served three terms as prime minister, led the BNP and remained a central figure in Bangladeshi politics despite years of ill health and imprisonment under the government of her longtime rival, Sheikh Hasina. She was released last year following Hasina’s ouster after a violent uprising.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country until Bangladesh’s secession following a bloody civil war in 1971, an event that has long cast a shadow over bilateral ties. Relations remained largely strained for decades, shaped by historical grievances and political mistrust.
However, Islamabad enjoyed comparatively warmer ties with Dhaka during Zia’s tenure than under Hasina.
Engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka has increased since Hasina’s removal and the formation of an interim administration, with both sides signaling interest in improving political, diplomatic, economic and security ties.
