ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been enhancing operational capabilities of the Azerbaijan Air Force by training Azeri air and ground crews at an operational Pakistani base, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.
The statement came after a high-level Azerbaijani delegation, comprising Deputy Defense Minister Agil Gurbanov and Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Namig Islamzade, called on Pakistan’s air chief, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad.
The officials discussed the importance of training cooperation, with Air Chief Marshal Sidhu reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation in operational and training areas, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“He noted that the [ongoing] training program is on schedule, with over 50 percent of the training objectives successfully achieved,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“He further emphasized that the initiative is expected to culminate within one-month timeframe, reflecting the commitment of PAF to enhance the operational capabilities of Azerbaijan Air Force.”
The air chief highlighted the PAF’s recent accomplishments, reflecting his vision of operational excellence in modern warfare, according to the ISPR.
The visiting dignitaries lauded the professionalism demonstrated by PAF personnel and their notable progress in developing a thriving domestic capability in the aviation industry in a short timeframe.
“The dignitaries expressed satisfaction on the training imparted to 70 aircrew & technicians getting trained in PAF and expressed their desire for enhanced Air Force to Air Force collaboration between the two sides,” the ISPR statement read.
“Emphasizing on the need to adapting to the evolving landscape of modern warfare, the Azerbaijan military leadership also proposed the establishment of a more comprehensive training regimen focusing on niche and disruptive technologies, as well as cyber and electronic warfare capabilities.”
Later the delegation visited the PAF Cyber Command at the Air Headquarters, where it was briefed about the operational capabilities and ongoing projects of PAF’s modernization drive.
The Pakistani military said the visit of the high-level defense delegation from Azerbaijan signified a resolute commitment of both countries to reinforce their military partnership, fostering collaboration and promoting robust relations.
In recent months, there has been a flurry of visits by Azerbaijani officials to Pakistan, highlighting the growing cooperation between the two countries in various sectors. Pakistan, which has been facing an economic crisis, is currently making efforts to position itself as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting Central Asian states and China with the rest of the world.
In July, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s arrived in Pakistan on a two-day visit, during which both nations agreed to enhance the volume of bilateral trade to $2 billion and vowed to increase cooperation in mutually beneficial economic projects.
Last week, Pakistan waived customs and regulatory duties on imports from Azerbaijan under the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement. The agreement signed on July 11 aimed to boost economic cooperation by reducing tariffs on goods like Pakistan’s sports equipment, leather, and pharmaceuticals apart from Azerbaijan’s oil and gas products.
Azeri air and ground crew undergo training at Pakistan Air Force base
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Azeri air and ground crew undergo training at Pakistan Air Force base
- A high-level Azerbaijani delegation also called on Pakistan’s air chief on Tuesday to discuss training cooperation
- The visit signifies resolute commitment of both countries to reinforce military partnership, Pakistani military says
Pakistan’s capital picks concrete over trees, angering residents
- Between 2001 and 2024, Islamabad lost 14 hectares of tree cover, according to Global Forest Watch
- Officials justify removing trees to tackle seasonal pollen allergies that are especially acute in spring
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital Islamabad was once known for its lush greenery, but the felling of trees across the city for infrastructure and military monuments has prompted local anger and even lawsuits.
Built in the 1960s, Islamabad was planned as a green city, with wide avenues, parks and tree-lined sectors.
Many residents fear that vision is steadily being eroded, with concrete replacing green spaces.
Muhammad Naveed took the authorities to court this year over “large-scale tree cutting” for infrastructure projects, accusing them of felling “many mature trees” and leaving land “barren.”
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) blamed major infrastructure development, including road construction and monuments, for the mass razing of trees and natural vegetation in Islamabad.
Between 2001 and 2024, the capital lost 14 hectares of tree cover, equal to 20 football pitches, according to Global Forest Watch, though the figure does not account for tree cover gains during the same period.
For Kamran Abbasi, a local trader and resident since the 1980s, it feels like “they are cutting trees everywhere.”
“It is not the same anymore,” he told AFP.
“Trees are life. Thousands are cut to build one bridge.”
SMOG AND POLLEN
Meanwhile, air quality in Islamabad continues to deteriorate.
Pollution is a longstanding problem, but plants can help by filtering dirty air, absorbing harmful gases and cooling cities.
“Forests act as powerful natural filters... cleaning the air and water, and reducing the overall impact of pollution,” Muhammad Ibrahim, director of WWF-Pakistan’s forest program told AFP.
There were no good air quality days in Islamabad last month, with all but two classed as “unhealthy” or “very unhealthy” by monitoring organization IQAir.
While some trees are felled for infrastructure, officials justify removing others to tackle seasonal pollen allergies that are especially acute in spring.
That problem is largely attributed to paper mulberry trees, which were planted extensively during the city’s early development.
“The main reason is pollen allergy,” said Abdul Razzaq, an official from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Islamabad.
“People suffer from chest infections, asthma and severe allergic reactions. I do too,” he told AFP.
The government plans to remove 29,000 pollen-producing trees and plants, according to a recent WWF report.
However, critics argue that pollen allergies are an excuse to justify broader tree-cutting, particularly linked to military and infrastructure projects.
The solution lies not in indiscriminate tree removal, but careful urban planning, experts say, replanting with non-allergenic species — and greater transparency around development projects in the capital.
CAPITAL UNDER AXE
In recent months, large bulldozers have been spotted levelling former green belts and wooded areas, including near major highways.
According to WWF and unnamed government officials, some of the cleared land is tapped for monuments commemorating the brief but intense armed conflict between Pakistan and neighboring India last May.
Other plots were razed to make way for military-linked infrastructure.
“We know that trees are being cut for military-related projects, but there is not much we can do,” a government source told AFP, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
“The people in power, the military, can do whatever they want.”
Pakistan’s powerful military has ruled the country for decades through coups and is deeply involved in the country’s politics and economy, analysts say.
At a proposed military monument site along the city’s express highway, WWF recorded more than six hectares of land clearing last year, with work continuing in 2026.
It saw “no active plantation... indicating that the clearing is infrastructure driven.”
The military did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Naveed’s court case seeking to halt the widespread felling, which is still being heard, argues there is “no excuse” for the tree loss.
“If a monument is deemed essential, why was it not placed in any existing park or public place?” he argues.
In reply to Naveed’s petition, authorities said roads and infrastructure projects were approved under regulations dating back to 1992.
