ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf met the top leadership of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss bilateral defense collaboration and regional maritime security, Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
During his visit, Ashraf met General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, the chief of general staff of the Saudi Armed Forces, at the Ministry of Defense. He also met the commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) Vice Admiral Fahd Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily at the RSNF headquarters, the statement said.
“Matters of bilateral naval collaboration and regional maritime security were discussed,” the Director-General of Public Relations Navy said of the meetings.
Al-Ghofaily appreciated Pakistan Navy’s role in supporting collaborative maritime security in the region and acknowledged the significance of strong bilateral defense collaboration, the DGPR Navy said.
Ashraf was presented with a guard of honor and briefed on the RSNF’s training setups and ongoing operations upon his arrival at the headquarters.
“Pakistan and Saudi Arabia historically enjoy brotherly relations and the visit of the naval chief will further augment and expand defense ties between the two countries in general and navies in particular,” the statement added.
On Sept. 20, Ruwaili visited Pakistan’s Naval Headquarters in Islamabad where he discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security and bilateral cooperation, with Ashraf.
Pakistan’s navy chief discusses regional maritime security with Saudi Armed Forces leadership
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Pakistan’s navy chief discusses regional maritime security with Saudi Armed Forces leadership
- Admiral Naveed Ashraf visits Royal Saudi Naval Forces headquarters in Riyadh
- Visit to further ‘augment and expand’ between the two countries, says Pakistan Navy
Pakistan says EU notes progress on rights commitments during GSP+ compliance discussions
- The review formed part of a wide-ranging EU-Pakistan Joint Commission meeting held in Brussels
- The two sides also covered irregular migration, climate cooperation and safe Afghan refugee return
ISLAMABAD: The European Union reviewed Pakistan’s compliance with its preferential GSP+ trade scheme this week and welcomed progress on key human rights commitments, according to a statement on Saturday, as Islamabad seeks to protect access to European markets vital for its export-led growth strategy.
The EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) grants duty-free access to most European markets for eligible developing countries in return for their commitment to implement 27 international conventions covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and good governance. Pakistan, which has benefited from the scheme since 2014, is one of the biggest beneficiaries, with the EU its second-largest trading partner and a destination for roughly a third of its exports.
Pakistan’s GSP+ status has come under scrutiny in the past after, in April 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for an immediate review, citing concerns over violence against religious minorities, curbs on media freedom and broader human rights issues. The move followed widespread anti-France protests in Pakistan over the publication of anti-Islamic caricatures, which EU legislators said raised questions about Islamabad’s commitment to fundamental freedoms.
“Both sides reviewed Pakistan’s progress on the implementation of the 27 international conventions as required under the GSP+ framework,” the foreign office said in a statement circulated in Islamabad. “The EU welcomed progress made in bringing Pakistan’s application of the death penalty in line with international standards and encouraged further steps in this regard.”
“It also recognised important first steps against torture, as well as the creation of a Commission on Minorities,” it added.
IRREGULAR MIGRATION, CLIMATE COOPERATION
The discussions took place during the 15th meeting of the EU–Pakistan Joint Commission, held in Brussels on Dec. 17, where officials also addressed irregular migration, including cooperation on the return and readmission of migrants without legal status, and legal mobility pathways under the bloc’s broader migration framework.
The foreign office statement came just a day after Greek authorities said they rescued more than 500 migrants from a fishing boat in the Mediterranean, adding that the group included several Pakistani nationals, highlighting continued migration pressures despite tighter controls.
Climate cooperation was another focus, with both sides reviewing ongoing collaboration on climate resilience, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, areas of growing importance for Pakistan after repeated climate-related shocks.
The meeting also touched on the situation of Afghan refugees.
The statement said the EU welcomed the ongoing discussions between Pakistan and the UN refugee agency “to identify and compile a list of vulnerable cases, to ensure their adequate protection.”
“The EU appreciated that Pakistan is hosting millions of Afghan nationals for over four decades,” it continued. “They emphasised that any return must be safe, dignified and in line with international standards.”
The two sides agreed to continue engagement under the EU–Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan, a framework guiding cooperation on political dialogue, trade, development, security and people-to-people exchanges, with the next joint commission meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad next year.
