ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha agreed on Friday the OIC must intensify pressure on the international community to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during their meeting in Pakistan’s federal capital.
The top OIC official arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day to attend a two-day global conference on girls’ education in Muslim countries, set to begin on Saturday. He was received by Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui upon arrival.
During the meeting, the prime minister thanked the OIC for its consistent support regarding the Kashmir dispute with his country’s nuclear rival, India.
Sharif strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing “genocidal campaign” in Gaza and stressed the need for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian aid for Palestinians and global accountability for Israel’s conduct of war.
“Both leaders agreed that the OIC must maintain its pressure on the international community for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” read an official statement released by Sharif’s office after the meeting. “They emphasized that the resolution of the Palestine issue must align with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
The meeting also touched on combating Islamophobia and other global and regional matters of mutual interest.
GIRLS’ EDUCATION
The OIC secretary general expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s warm reception and praised the country’s leadership role in addressing critical issues facing the Muslim world.
“The hosting the international conference on girls’ education in the Muslim world is an example of Pakistan’s leadership role in addressing important issues,” he said.
Separately, the prime minister also met with Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the secretary general of the Muslim World League (MWL).
Sharif commended the MWL’s partnership in co-hosting the two-day conference and emphasized that the event would send a strong global message about the Muslim world’s commitment to advancing girls’ education.
Dr. Al-Issa informed Sharif the conference would culminate in the Islamabad Declaration, a consensus document promoting girls’ education in Muslim countries.
He also informed the conference would feature renowned scholars, educators, and thought leaders from around the globe to address a wide range of issues affecting the Muslim world.
Pakistani PM, OIC chief urge global push for Gaza ceasefire
https://arab.news/y7qb6
Pakistani PM, OIC chief urge global push for Gaza ceasefire
- The OIC leader is currently in Islamabad to attend a global conference on girls’ education in Muslim countries
- Shehbaz Sharif also met with the secretary general of the Muslim World League, the co-host of the conference
Pakistan Air Force conducts ‘Exercise Golden Eagle’ to test combat readiness, agility
- The exercise follows an intense, four-day Pakistan-India military conflict in May 2025
- It focused on AI-enabled operations integrating disruptive technologies, military says
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has conducted “Exercise Golden Eagle” that successfully validated its combat readiness and operational agility through synchronized employment of the PAF’s complete combat potential, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.
It comes months after Pakistan’s four-day military conflict with India in May, with Islamabad claiming victory in the standoff after the PAF claimed to have shot down at least six Indian fighter aircraft, including the French-made Rafale. New Delhi acknowledged some losses but did not specify a number.
The exercise was conducted on a Two-Force construct, focusing on AI-enabled, net-centric operations while integrating indigenous niche, disruptive and smart technologies in line with evolving regional security dynamics, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
Operating within a robust Integrated Air Defense System, friendly forces shaped the battlespace through seamless fusion of kinetic operations with cyber, space and electro-magnetic spectrum operations.
“The kinetic phase featured First-Shoot, First-Kill swing-role combat aircraft equipped with long-range BVR air-to-air missiles, extended-range stand-off weapons and precision strike capabilities, supported by Airborne Early Warning & Control platforms and Air-to-Air Refuelers,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“A key highlight of the exercise was Manned–Unmanned Teaming, with deep-reach killer drones and loitering munitions operating in a highly contested, congested and degraded environment, validating PAF’s capability to conduct high-tempo operations in modern warfare.”
In recent months, many countries have stepped up defense engagement with Pakistan, while delegations from multiple nations have proposed learning from the PAF’s multi-domain air warfare capabilities that officials say were successfully employed during the May conflict.
“The successful conduct of Exercise Golden Eagle reaffirms Pakistan Air Force’s unwavering commitment to maintaining a high state of operational preparedness, leveraging indigenous innovation and effectively countering emerging and future security challenges,” the ISPR added.
