ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Lebanon discussed the evolving regional security environment and ways to strengthen defense cooperation during a visit by Lebanese Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal to the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, the Pakistan army said on Tuesday.
The visit comes as Lebanon remains at the center of regional tensions linked to the recent Israel-Iran conflict. Pakistan has repeatedly called for an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon and supported diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East, while Lebanese state institutions, including the armed forces, have assumed an increasingly important role in maintaining stability amid continuing security challenges.
Pakistan and Lebanon also share longstanding ties through United Nations peacekeeping missions, with Pakistani troops having served in Lebanon under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
“During the meeting, both dignitaries exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional security environment, defense cooperation and prospects for enhancing bilateral military relations,” the Pakistan army said in a statement after Haykal met Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s chief of army staff and chief of defense staff, at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
“The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries.”
According to the statement, Munir reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attaches to its longstanding and cordial relations with Lebanon and underscored the Pakistan Army’s commitment to expanding defense collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
The Lebanese military chief, in turn, appreciated the professionalism and operational excellence of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their contributions to regional peace, stability and international peacekeeping efforts, the statement said.
“The visit reflects the shared commitment of both armed forces to fostering closer military-to-military cooperation,” it added.
