Pakistan, Saudi Arabia vow to solidify efforts in defence collaboration

• COAS disscusses matters of mutual interest with Saudi minister.
• Saudi official co-chairs meeting of Pak-KSA Defence Collaboration.
• Forum discusses challenges to global and regional security.
  

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Friday reaffirmed Saudi Arabia the Pakistan Army’s support in the “capacity building" of Royal Saudi Land Forces, said the military's media wing in a statement.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief gave the assurance to Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Defence Major General (Engineer) Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi in a meeting held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

In the meeting, both officials discussed matters of mutual interest and measures to further enhance bilateral defence collaboration including defence production and military training.

“The visiting dignitary acknowledged Pakistan Army's achievements and sacrifices in the war against terrorism and the army’s valuable contributions towards regional peace and stability,” said the ISPR.

Major General Al-Otaibi also co-chaired the fifth meeting of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Defence Collaboration along with the Pakistan Army’s chief of general staff at the GHQ.

“The forum discussed challenges to global and regional security and their implications on defence forces. Forum noted that rapid advancements in modern technologies necessitated defence industrial cooperation in critical capabilities between the two brotherly countries,” said the ISPR.

Both sides also reiterated their resolve to solidify the efforts in defence collaboration with a focused approach to target specific capabilities in land, air and sea domains.

“In this context, concrete proposals were deliberated by the forum to meet tangible objectives within specific timelines,” said the ISPR.

The Saudi major general’s visit to Pakistan comes soon after Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah’s two-day visit to Islamabad.