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US, Pakistan launch joint counterterrorism exercise to boost interoperability, share expertise

Officers of Pakistan and US Army pose for a group photo at the inaugural ceremony of a two-week-long joint counterterrorism exercise at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi, Punjab, Pakistan, on January 10, 2024. (Screengrab/ISPR)
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Updated 10 January 2026
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US, Pakistan launch joint counterterrorism exercise to boost interoperability, share expertise

  • Pakistan, US have maintained multifaceted relations for decades, encompassing security, economic engagement and people-to-people ties
  • Both sides have sought to stabilize ties by focusing on areas of mutual interest such as regional stability, trade and counterterrorism
Updated 10 January 2026
Usama Iqbal Khawaja

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States (US) launched the 13th edition of their bilateral joint counterterrorism exercise, Inspired Gambit 2026, to boost interoperability and share counterterrorism expertise, the Pakistani military said on Saturday.

The two-week-long exercise involves contingents from Pakistani and US armies. Officials from both sides attended the opening ceremony at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Pabbi in northwest Pakistan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military's media wing.

It is aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and interoperability through the sharing of counter-terrorism experiences, while further refining tactics, techniques, and procedures essential for effective CT operations.

"Emphasis is being laid on marksmanship skills during urban warfare, as well as on understanding each other’s operational doctrines and best practices," the ISPR said in a statement.

"Such joint training exercises are of vital importance in addressing evolving security challenges, improving professional military standards, and strengthening the capacity of both forces to operate in complex counter-terrorism environments."

Pakistan and the US have maintained multifaceted relations for decades, encompassing security cooperation, economic engagement and people-to-people ties. While the partnership has experienced periods of strain, particularly over regional security dynamics in South Asia and Afghanistan, both sides have continued to engage through institutional mechanisms, including military-to-military contacts, counterterrorism cooperation and high-level diplomatic dialogues.

In recent years, Islamabad and Washington have sought to stabilize ties by focusing on areas of mutual interest such as regional stability, trade, counterterrorism and climate resilience. Defense collaboration, including joint exercises and training programs, remains a key component of their relationship.

"Inspired Gambit–2026 reflects the continued commitment of Pakistan and the United States towards collaborative efforts for peace and stability," the ISPR added.

Topics: Pakistan US Ties Pakistan Army

Pakistan says over 44.3 million children vaccinated as year’s first anti-polio drive concludes

Updated 4 sec ago
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Pakistan says over 44.3 million children vaccinated as year’s first anti-polio drive concludes

  • Pakistan launched this year’s first week-long anti-polio nationwide campaign on Feb. 2, targeting over 45 million children
  • Pakistan’s attempts to eliminate polio have been hindered in past by militant attacks targeting polio workers, security teams 
Updated 4 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities have vaccinated over 44.3 million children during the week-long anti-polio nationwide campaign, the first of this year which concluded last week, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said on Monday. 

Pakistan launched the first anti-polio nationwide campaign on Feb. 2 to target over 45 million children. Over 400,000 trained polio workers took part in the door-to-door campaign to vaccinate children under the age of five against the disease, the government said. 

“More than 44.3 million children were administered polio vaccine drops during the campaign,” the NEOC said in a statement. 

The anti-polio campaign, which concluded on Sunday, saw over 22.9 million vaccinated in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province. In Sindh, over 10.5 million children were vaccinated, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 7.13 million, in Balochistan 2.36 million, in Islamabad over 455,000, in Gilgit-Baltistan over 261,000 and in Azad Kashmir over 673,000 in seven days, data shared by the NEOC said. 

The center said that the campaign was conducted in Pakistan and Afghanistan simultaneously, the only two countries were the disease remains endemic. 

Last year, Pakistan reported 31 polio cases, a significant drop from the alarming 74 cases reported in the country in 2024. The South Asian nation reported six cases in 2023 and only one in 2021, but saw a sharp resurgence in 2024.

Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994, but efforts to eradicate the virus have been repeatedly undermined by vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim that immunization is a foreign plot to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western espionage.

Militant groups have also frequently targeted polio vaccination teams and the security personnel assigned to protect them, often resulting in deadly attacks, particularly in KP and Balochistan.

“Polio workers and security personnel who performed duties during the campaign are the nation’s true heroes,” the NEOC said. 

Topics: Pakistan Polio

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