ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Turkish navies have held a joint exercise to enhance maritime cooperation between the two countries, Pakistan Navy’s media wing said on Friday.
The newly commissioned Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) HUNAIN visited Turkiye on maiden voyage from Romania to Pakistan, according to Pakistan Navy’s Director General Public Relations (DGPR).
The Pakistani naval ship participated in the exercise, TURGUTREIS-X, along with a Turkish coast guard ship, GELIBOLU.
“The exercise focused on various Joint Maritime Operations with the aim to enhance interoperability between both Navies,” the DGPR said in a statement.
PNS HUNAIN, the third of four offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) being constructed at the DAMEN naval shipyard in Romania, this month set sail on a maiden voyage to Pakistan.
Prior to the exercise, the Pakistani naval ship visited Turkish ports at Golcuk and Aksaz, where it was received by senior officials of Pakistan embassy and Turkish Navy.
“During stay at Golcuk, Commanding Officer of PNS HUNAIN called on Turkish Navy Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Kadir Yıldız and Commander of Golcuk Naval Base Rear Admiral Ali Tuna Baysal,” the DGPR said.
“Professional matters of mutual interest and enhancement of bilateral cooperation between both the navies were discussed.”
During stay at port Aksaz, Commander of Turkish Navy’s 2nd Destroyer Squadron, Commodore Captain Cenk TASLI, along with commanding officer of Turkish coast guard ship GELIBOLU visited aboard PNS HUNAIN and appreciated Pakistan Navy’s role in maintaining “good order at sea in the region and beyond,” according to the statement.
The visit of PNS HUNAIN will further provide an opportunity to flourish and strengthen existing brotherly relations and provide impetus to diplomatic and defense relations between Pakistan and Turkiye, the Turkish naval commander added.
Earlier this month, Pakistan Navy warship PNS Yarmook conducted bilateral exercises with navies of allied countries as part of a Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP) deployment in Bahrain, aimed at enhancing naval coordination and the capability of joint operations in the region.
In July, Pakistan Navy also assumed command of a multinational task force responsible for ensuring maritime security in the southeastern waters of the Middle East, operating in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden.
Pakistani, Turkish navies hold joint exercise to enhance maritime cooperation
https://arab.news/4hc7b
Pakistani, Turkish navies hold joint exercise to enhance maritime cooperation
- Newly commissioned Pakistan navy ship HUNAIN visited Turkiye on maiden voyage from Romania to Pakistan
- The visit provides an opportunity to strengthen existing ties between both countries, Pakistan Navy says
Pakistan invites Austrian firms to partner in citrus value-addition, mining, renewable energy
- PM Shehbaz Sharif attends joint business forum in Vienna, invites Austrian companies to the EU-Pakistan business summit in Islamabad in April
- The premier addresses the issue of illegal immigration, saying his government working to offer Europe workers with international certifications
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday invited Austrian companies to partner with Pakistani firms in citrus value-addition, mining and renewable energy sectors, saying their world-class expertise could help accelerate Pakistan’s growth.
Sharif said this while speaking at the Pakistan-Austria Business Forum during his two-day official visit to the European country, the first by any Pakistani premier in more than 30 years, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
The visit is focused on trade, investment and economic cooperation, and would involve productive interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, and the UN Industrial Development Organization.
Speaking at the business forum in Vienna, Sharif said Pakistan is an agrarian economy and nearly 60 percent of its population resides in rural areas, with its hardworking farmers adding to the country's huge potential in agriculture.
"Austria can be a great partner providing Pakistan with experience, with modern technology to have value addition in the field of citrus fruit and make marmalade, juices and export them to Austria, to Middle East, other parts of the world," he said.
"Secondly, in mines and minerals, again Austria can become a great partner. Pakistan has vast resources of minerals and of course very rare minerals in the province of KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir."
Sharif's visit comes at a time when Pakistan is treading a long path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout and seeks to boost trade and foreign investment to consolidate economic gains Islamabad has made in recent years.
Besides agriculture, PM Sharif invited Austrian companies to participate in renewable energy and grid modernization projects in Pakistan.
"Austria with its world-class expertise in engineering, renewable energy, environmental technology, advanced manufacturing [is well positioned] to benefit Pakistan’s growth trajectory," he said.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, SKILLED LABOR
Sharif also addressed the issue of illegal immigration of citizens from Pakistan, among other countries, to Europe and said his government was working end the practice and instead offer trained, skilled human resource to European nations, with international certifications.
Thousands of citizens from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other countries embark on perilous journeys each year attempting to enter Europe illegally in search of a better life.
In Dec., Pakistan's interior ministry said it had achieved a 47 percent drop in illegal immigration to Europe in 2025, with more than 1,700 human smugglers arrested as part of an expanded nationwide crackdown.
"I am absolutely against illegal immigration and we are working with our European friends, countries like Austria, Germany, France and other countries, to jointly bring this illegal immigration to a grinding halt," Sharif said.
"In return, your demand for trained labor, skilled labor, we are going to fulfill that demand with international certification to your requirement and your satisfaction."
The Pakistan premier said he looked forward to the participation of Austrian companies in the European Union-Pakistan Business Forum at the end of April in Islamabad.
