Gulf nations among 20 in Pakistan for army ‘team spirit’ exercise

In this handout photo released by publication wing of Pakistan's armed forces, soldiers hold flags during the opening ceremony of 8th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit Exercise 2025 held at National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Pabbi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on April 14, 2025. (ISPR)
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Updated 15 April 2025
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Gulf nations among 20 in Pakistan for army ‘team spirit’ exercise

  • Director General Military Training opened 60-hours long patrolling exercise on Monday
  • Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, China, Turkiye, US attending exercise

ISLAMABAD: The 8th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit Exercise 2025 kicked off at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi this week, Radio Pakistan reported, with participation by 20 countries. 

Director General Military Training opened the 60-hours long ‘patrolling exercise’ on Monday, aiming to enhance military-to-military cooperation.

A total of 20 friendly countries and military observers are participating in the exercise, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, China, US, Egypt, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, South Africa and Thailand.

“Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission-specific and task-oriented professional military exercise organized annually in Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said. 

“The exercise calls for highest standard of physical fitness, mental agility, robustness and professional military expertise for quick decision making in varied situations during conduct of challenging missions in a near real environment.”

The exercise is meant to help hone “basic soldierly attributes and interoperability through the sharing of innovative ideas and mutual best practices.”


Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military

Updated 02 February 2026
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Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military

  • Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a 43-member alliance that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and other nations
  • The Pakistani military statement comes after a meeting between IMCTC secretary-general and the chief of Pakistani defense forces in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, including intelligence sharing and capacity building, to jointly combat “terrorism” and “extremism,” the Pakistani military said on Monday.

The IMCTC is a 43-member military alliance that was formed on Saudi Arabia’s initiative in Dec. 2015 to consolidate Muslim countries’ efforts in countering “terrorism.”

A 17-member IMCTC delegation is visiting Pakistan from Feb. 2-6 to conduct a training at National University of Sciences and Technology on “Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Extremist Elements,” according to the Pakistani military.

On Monday, IMCTC Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss cooperation among IMCTC member states.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, with particular emphasis on regional security dynamics and enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing, said in a statement.

“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism and extremism through collaborative strategies, intelligence sharing, and capacity building among member states.”

The IMCTC features Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, UAE, Bangladesh and other nations. In 2017, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. (retd) Raheel Sharif was appointed as the IMCTC commander-in-chief.

During discussions with Major General Al-Moghedi, Field Marshal Munir appreciated the role of IMCTC in fostering stability and promoting coordinated counterterrorism initiatives across the Islamic world, according to the ISPR.

The IMCTC secretary-general acknowledged Pakistan’s significant contributions and sacrifices in the fight against militancy and lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces.

“The meeting underscored the resolve of both sides to further strengthen institutional collaboration for peace, stability, and security in the region,” the ISPR added.

Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with most Muslim countries around the world, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In Sept. 2025, Pakistan signed a landmark defense pact with Saudi Arabia according to which an act of aggression against one country will be treated as an act of aggression against both.