KARACHI: Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Aslat has conducted counter-piracy patrols in the Arabian Sea, its Directorate General of Public Relations (DGPR) said on Saturday.
The patrols were conducted off the east coast of Somalia in support of the Combined Task Force-151 (CTF-151), one of the five task forces operated by 46-nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which is currently being led by Pakistan Navy.
Pakistan Navy-led CTF-151 is taking proactive measures to enhance its presence in the region, remaining vigilant of the piracy threat in the Gulf of Aden, the vicinity of Socotra Gap, and off the east coast of Somalia, according to the DGPR.
“These efforts aim to deter piracy, armed robbery, and other illicit activities to ensure the safety of vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs),” it said in a statement.
Pakistan Navy took over the command of the CTF-151, a multinational body set up in 2009 as a response to piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the eastern coast of Somalia, in January for a record 11th time.
The CTF-151’s mission is to disrupt piracy at sea and engage with regional and other partners to build capacity and improve relevant capabilities in order to protect global maritime commerce and secure freedom of navigation. It operates in conjunction with the EU’s Operation Atalanta and NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield.
“The deployment of PNS Aslat reflects Pakistan Navy’s firm resolve to combat piracy and armed robbery, while also protecting global maritime commons and ensuring the free flow of maritime trade in the region,” the DGPR added.
The CTF-151 command is rotated between participating nations on a three-to-six-monthly basis. Prior to Pakistan Navy’s takeover, the CTF-151 command was held by the Turkish Navy.
Other nations that have led the CTF-151 include Bahrain, Brazil, Denmark, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Türkiye, the UK, and the US. A variety of countries assign vessels, aircraft, and personnel to the task force.
Pakistan Navy ship conducts counter-piracy patrols in Arabian Sea
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Pakistan Navy ship conducts counter-piracy patrols in Arabian Sea
- The patrols were conducted off the east coast of Somalia in support of Combined Task Force-151
- The CTF-151’s mission is to disrupt piracy at sea in order to protect the global maritime commerce
Pakistan says Qatar to elevate economic partnership to ‘higher strategic level’
- Qatari emir accepts invitation to visit Pakistan later this year, Sharif’s office says
- Doha talks also addressed rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Tuesday Qatar had agreed to elevate bilateral economic cooperation to a “higher strategic level” during talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The meeting with Qatar’s head of state marked the highest-level engagement of Sharif’s visit and comes as Islamabad seeks to attract Gulf investment to support economic stabilization under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program while coordinating with regional partners on rising security tensions.
Qatar is a key economic partner for Pakistan, hosting nearly 300,000 Pakistani workers and previously announcing plans to invest $3 billion in sectors including transport, aviation, energy, health, media and technology. The two countries also maintain defense cooperation and structured political and business dialogues.
“His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani reiterated Qatar’s commitment to a deepening economic partnership to a higher strategic level,” Sharif’s office said in the statement.
According to the statement, the two leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening longstanding ties.
The Qatari emir also accepted Sharif’s invitation to visit Pakistan later this year, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Earlier during the visit, Sharif held talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, where discussions focused on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor, and culture.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Sharif also met Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), where he highlighted Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms and invited Qatari investors to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, according to the prime minister’s office.
The business outreach reflects Islamabad’s broader push to convert political goodwill with Gulf partners into tangible investment inflows as it works to sustain macroeconomic stability and growth.
TENSIONS WITH AFGHANISTAN
The Doha talks also addressed rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan following cross-border military exchanges in recent days.
Pakistan last week carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan against what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets, after blaming recent militant attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur and Bannu on fighters operating from Afghan territory, which Kabul denies. Afghan Taliban authorities said the strikes killed civilians and described them as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
The issue also came up during a separate meeting between Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
Similar cross-border strikes last year triggered weeklong clashes before Qatar and Turkiye helped mediate a tenuous ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul.
