ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said this week it has bolstered its war fighting capabilities by acquiring new technology including hypersonic missiles, weapons that are capable of traveling at hypersonic speed defined as between 5 and 25 times the speed of sound or about 1 to 5 miles per second.
A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Pakistan’s ally China and archrival India, are caught up in the global hypersonic and directed-energy weapons race, with these regional powers having either developed or publicly stated intentions to develop such technology.
“Pakistan Air Force has undertaken a transformative modernization initiative to counter evolving threats in the current geostrategic threat scenario, prioritizing the induction of modern systems through smart acquisitions and indigenization,” PAF said in a statement this week.
“The acquisition of J-10C fighter jets, Unmanned Aerial Systems, modern electronic warfare platforms, force multipliers, state-of-the-art integrated air defense systems, air mobility platforms, High to medium air defense [HIMAD] and hypersonic missile capabilities at an unprecedented pace has bolstered the PAF’s war fighting capabilities.
PAF said it had adopted a “comprehensive strategy” to rebalance the power dynamics in the region and become a next generation force “with induction of niche technologies, state-of-the-art equipment and human resource trained on modern standards with contemporary architecture for Full Spectrum Cross Domain Multi Arena warfare readiness in the fields of Aviation, Space, Cyber, Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology to address the modern aerial warfare challenges.”
A key milestone in this strategic transformation has been the acquisition of fifth generation stealth fighter jets, PAF added.
According to Defense News, a website and newspaper focusing on national security and published by Sightline Media Group, Pakistan’s main supplier of military equipment, China, unveiled its air-launched YJ-21E hypersonic missile at the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow. However, a H-6K Badger bomber carried the weapon, an aircraft type not in service with Pakistan.
Timothy Wright, a military analyst the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, told Defense News Pakistan’s hypersonic missile was likely not a new weapon but a CM-400AKG, which the country acquired five years ago for its JF-17 Thunder jets. The service’s release included a video featuring the CM-400AKG missile.
“According to the missile’s manufacturer [Aviation Industry Corporation of China], the CM-400AKG can travel at hypersonic [Mach 5-plus] speeds,” he told Defense News. “However, there has not been an independent assessment of this claim.”
“It is possible the missile is instead a high-supersonic system” reaching speeds between Mach 3 and Mach 4.9, he added.
Pakistan’s Air Force says it has hypersonic-capable missiles
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Pakistan’s Air Force says it has hypersonic-capable missiles
- Hypersonic missiles are capable of traveling at hypersonic speed, defined as between 5 and 25 times the speed of sound
- A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including China and India, are caught up in global hypersonic weapons race
Pakistan says will launch ‘smart kinetic operations’ against separatist groups in southwest
- Announcement follows the killing of 20 coal miners with heavy weapons by unidentified militants
- Balochistan’s chief minister says he has full support from the federation to deal with the situation
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti on Saturday announced plans for “smart kinetic operations” against separatist militants operating in the southwestern Pakistani province after unidentified assailants killed at least 20 coal miners with heavy weapons in Duki, located in the Loralai Division.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, sparked protests from labor organizations, with miners halting operations to demand better protection for workers. The attack was widely condemned, including by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who directed authorities to provide urgent medical treatment to the seven people injured.
Bugti reiterated the government’s resolve to tackle militants during a media interaction after visiting the trauma center in Quetta to meet the injured.
“We are going to launch smart kinetic operations against terrorist groups,” he told the reporters. “Terrorists have an advanced communication system. We have to think whether we have provided advanced technologies to our security agencies [as well].”
He said the security forces had launched a search operation in Duki after the attack and were pursuing the militants.
In response to a question, the chief minister said the province had full support from the federal authorities to deal with the situation.
“I am saying again there isn’t any need for a full-scale military operation in Balochistan, but we have to rethink our strategies,” he continued.
Balochistan, which shares its border with Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by separatist militants who blame the government for exploiting the province’s mineral resources without benefiting its residents. The charge is denied by the state which says it has launched several high-profile projects for the development of the region.
Last August, ethnic nationalist militants hit several civil and military targets in a string of coordinated attacks in the province, killing more than 50 people.
A majority of the assaults were claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the most prominent among a number of separatist groups operating in the province that is home to key China-led infrastructure projects, including a port and a gold-copper mine.
The government refused to launch a full-scale military operation after the attacks, but the military has stepped up intelligence-based operations to quell the rising tide of the separatist insurgency in Balochistan.
Pakistani general reaffirms support at Riyadh forum to strengthen Saudi Defense Forces
- The forum aims to enhance bilateral security cooperation, particularly in defense production and technology
- Both sides agree modern technological advancements necessitate increased defense industrial cooperation
KARACHI: A top Pakistani general reaffirmed his country’s commitment to building the capacity of the Royal Saudi Defense Forces this week while attending a bilateral forum in Riyadh, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s military, on Saturday.
The Pakistan-KSA Bilateral Defense Industrial Forum is a platform aimed at enhancing security cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of defense production and technology.
The 7th meeting of the forum took place in Riyadh on Thursday, during which Pakistan’s tri-services delegation, led by Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt.-Gen. Muhammad Avais Dastgir, discussed a wide range of security-related issues.
“During the meeting, the CGS affirmed Pakistan’s continuing support towards capacity building of Royal Saudi Defence Forces,” the ISPR said.
Pakistan has regularly trained Saudi military officials and shared its professional expertise with the kingdom in various defense-related areas.
The official statement said that Saudi officials also “acknowledged Pakistan’s achievements and sacrifices in war against terrorism and its valuable contributions towards regional peace and stability.”
The bilateral forum also focused on challenges to global and regional security and their implications for the defence forces.
Both sides noted that rapid advancements in modern technologies necessitated further enhancing defense industrial cooperation in critical capabilities between the two states.
“In this context, progress of ongoing areas of collaboration was reviewed while new areas of collaboration were also agreed,” the ISPR said.
15 dead, seven injured in renewed tribal clashes in Pakistan’s Kurram district
- Police say the incident was triggered after unidentified gunmen opened fire on an influential tribal elder
- Previously, relatively small incidents have led to deadly tribal conflicts and sectarian violence in Kurram
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Tension gripped Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district as clashes broke out between two rival tribes, leaving 15 people dead and injuring another seven amid sporadic gunfire in parts of the region, officials said Saturday.
Kurram, formerly a semi-autonomous tribal area, has a history of bloody conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years. A major conflict in the district, triggered in 2007, lasted for years before being resolved by a jirga, a council of tribal elders, in 2011. However, clashes erupted again over a property dispute in July this year, leaving 38 dead and 158 injured in the region.
Speaking to Arab News over the phone, Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud said the recent round of violence began after unidentified gunmen opened fire on an influential tribal elder, Ijaz Hussain, who sustained serious injuries in the attack.
“Subsequently, a passenger convoy came under attack in the Kunj Alizai area of the district, in which 15 people were killed and six others injured,” he said.
Mehsud informed the district administration was working to control the situation with the help of local leaders and law enforcement officials, trying to prevent the conflict from spreading to other parts of the area.
He described these efforts as crucial, as relatively small incidents in Kurram have previously escalated into deadly tribal conflicts and sectarian violence. The region is also prone to militancy.
“For a permanent solution to such problems, an inclusive tribal committee should be formed to keep the situation in constant check,” Brigadier (retired) Said Nazir Mohmand, a security analyst familiar with the area, told Arab News.
“Secondly, the writ of the state must be ensured in the district for swift action against troublemakers,” he added.
Dr. Mir Hassan Jan, Medical Superintendent at the District Headquarters Hospital in Upper Kurram, said the authorities had put health facilities in the area on high alert to deal with emergency situations.
“We have received nine bodies and another six injured from the clashes in Kurram,” he said. “The rest of the casualties might have been taken to other health facilities in the district.”
Pakistan lists SCO summit attendees, excluding Afghanistan, ahead of high-profile event
- Afghanistan holds the SCO observer status that has reportedly remained inactive since Taliban’s 2021 takeover
- Pakistan has made extensive preparations for the summit, focusing on Islamabad’s security and beautification
ISLAMABAD: The foreign office of Pakistan released the names of countries attending the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad, notably excluding Afghanistan, while key member states like China, Russia and India are set to attend.
Afghanistan is not a full SCO member but holds observer status, which has reportedly remained inactive since September 2021, following the Taliban takeover.
Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan have severely deteriorated for more than a year over the issue of cross-border militancy, with officials in Islamabad repeatedly accusing the Taliban-led government of “facilitating” armed groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani soil, an allegation denied by Kabul.
Tensions further escalated last year when Pakistan decided to expel Afghan refugees, citing national security concerns and the alleged involvement of some refugees in militancy and crime.
“Pakistan will be hosting the Twenty-third meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) from 15 to 16 October 2024 in Islamabad,” the foreign office said in a brief curtain raiser.
“SCO member States will be represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India,” it added. “Prime Minister of Mongolia (Observer State) and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan (Special Guest) will also participate in the meeting.”
The foreign office said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the SCO meeting in his capacity of the current chair of the CHG.
He will also hold important bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegation on the sidelines of the summit.
The government has made extensive preparations for the event while focusing on both security and beautification of Islamabad.
According to Dawn newspaper, over 10,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure the safety of around 900 international delegates.
Special efforts are also being made to enhance the appearance of the city, particularly along VIP routes and the Jinnah Convention Center where the summit will be held.
The prime minister himself has finalized the arrangements by visiting all these places.
The SCO meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organization.
The participants will adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member states and approve the budget of the organization.
Saudi businessman expresses interest in setting up agricultural farms during visit to Pakistan
- Najd Gateway Agricultural Company has already agreed to cultivate highly nutritious cattle fodder for Pakistan
- Its chairman says Pakistan’s agricultural activities will strengthen further while praising government’s efforts
ISLAMABAD: The top official of a leading Saudi agricultural firm expressed interest in developing its own farms in Pakistan, state-owned media reported Saturday, following his visit to the Green Corporate Initiative headquarters in the federal capital.
The Najd Gateway Agricultural Company from Saudi Arabia is a key player in the expansion of agricultural and livestock initiatives, both domestically and internationally.
Earlier this year, in March, the company signed an agreement with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a hybrid civil-military body facilitating foreign businesses in Pakistan, to cultivate 5,000 acres of highly nutritious cattle fodder.
Its chairman, Prince Mansour M. Al Saud, interacted with officials at the GCI headquarters, who aim to modernize agriculture in the country, to explore investment opportunities.
“I visited [the Green Pakistan Initiative headquarters] today and spent almost two hours here,” the chairman of the Saudi company said in a video shared by Radio Pakistan. “I have seen many primary objectives they are working on, including land development and how they are focusing on biodiversity to create a significant impact on the social lives of the communities.”
“As an investor in agriculture here in Pakistan, I would be glad to get involved in their system and program, and to establish our own farms and projects in Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed 27 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth about $2 billion during the visit of the kingdom’s Investment Minister Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al Falih.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal specifically mentioned the objective of increasing agricultural productivity as a key focus area for the government during his meeting with the Saudi official.
The Najd Gateway Agricultural Company’s chairman also expressed hope that Pakistan’s agricultural activities will strengthen in his video message.
