ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia launched a two-month-long joint military exercise in the Pakistani city of Multan, the Pakistan army’s media wing said on Tuesday, part of a longstanding defense cooperation deal between the two countries.
Pakistan regularly trains Saudi officers and soldiers. In September last year, Saudi and Pakistani forces conducted the joint Naseem Al-Bahr 13 naval exercise in the Arabian Sea near Karachi, with Saudi F-15 aircraft participating in a missile firing drill for the first time.
“To enhance and strengthen the existing military cooperation between Pakistan Army and Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF), a contingent of Royal Saudi Land Forces arrived for Joint Mechanized Training in Multan Garrison,” the Pakistan army said in a statement, saying the program would go on for two months.
“The joint training is aimed at strengthening and sharing of knowledge through a comprehensive training program,” the statement said. “Drills and procedures will be practiced and tactical exercises conducted to refine the same.”
Earlier this week, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif visited Islamabad and in a meeting with Pakistani counterpart Sheikh Rashid Ahmed agreed to enhance cooperation to counter the security challenges.
“Both sides discussed hosts of issues including regional security situation and enhancing cooperation and coordination between the ministries of two countries to meet the security challenges confronting Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” a statement from the Interior Ministry read.
Pakistan, Azerbaijan aim to strengthen partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade
The development comes as Islamabad seeks closer ties, especially in trade and investment, with Central Asian states to overcome an economic crisis
In July last year, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited Pakistan and announced the two nations were working to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have resolved to strengthen their partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade sectors, the Pakistani government said on Saturday, following high-level meetings between officials of the two countries in Baku.
Pakistan’s Minister of Investment, Privatization and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan met with Azerbaijan Prime Minister Ali Asadov and discussed with him avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation, according to the Press Information Department (PID) of the Pakistani government.
The discussions focused on expanding economic collaboration, with Khan highlighting vast investment opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). He also invited Azerbaijan to invest in Pakistan’s motorway and other key sectors.
During the visit, the Pakistani delegation engaged in discussions with Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev, Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashiri and President of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovshan Najaf.
“The meetings explored opportunities for mutual investment in various sectors, including infrastructure development, energy, and trade,” the PID said in a statement. “Additionally, discussions covered the privatization of government-run enterprises and other key investment initiatives.”
The meetings were also attended by Lt. Gen. Sarfaraz Ahmed, coordinator of Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Federal Secretary Petroleum Momin Ali Agha and other senior officials.
Welcoming the Pakistani delegation, PM Asadov praised Pakistan’s recent economic advancements and assured Azerbaijan’s support in increasing bilateral trade and investment.
The development comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to forge closer ties, especially in trade and investment, with Central Asian states as Pakistan treads a tricky path to economic recovery. There have been a series of visits by Azerbaijani officials to Pakistan in recent months, with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visiting Pakistan in July 2024 and announcing the two nations were working to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion.
“The visit also included a review of progress on various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Special discussions were held on developing trade corridors, rail networks, and other communication links between Pakistan and Central Asian states to enhance regional connectivity,” the PID said.
“This visit marks another step toward deepening economic and strategic ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, paving the way for expanded cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure development.”
Last month, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad and Baku were in the process of finalizing an agreement to enhance security ties through cooperation in arms trade, defense infrastructure and intelligence sharing.
In Dec. 2024, Pakistan waived customs and regulatory duties on imports from Azerbaijan under the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement. The agreement aimed to boost economic cooperation by reducing tariffs on goods like Pakistan’s sports equipment, leather, and pharmaceuticals and Azerbaijan’s oil and gas products.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy on Saturday inducted another offshore patrol vessel, PNS Yamama, into its fleet with an aim to enhance security of the country’s maritime frontiers, its Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) said.
This is the fourth Yamama ship of the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Batch II to be inducted in Pakistan Navy fleet, which was constructed and commissioned at Damen Shipyards, Romania.
The ship was inducted at a ceremony at Pakistan Navy Dockyard in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, with Pakistan Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Abdul Munib being the Chief Guest.
“Addition of PNS YAMAMA in PN fleet will significantly enhance Pakistan Navy’s capability of safeguarding maritime frontiers of Pakistan,” Rear Admiral Munib was quoted as saying by the DGPR.
“Induction of such multipurpose state-of-the-art platforms will provide vital support to ongoing PN maritime security patrol in Indian Ocean.”
The multipurpose, highly agile medium-sized offshore patrol vessel is equipped with self-protection and terminal defense system, state-of-the-art electronic warfare, and anti-ship and anti-air warfare capabilities, according to the DGPR.
Additionally, it is capable of embarking a multirole helicopter and can operate independently or as part of a taskforce for extended durations to execute a variety of missions.
In June 2024, Pakistan Navy inducted two warships, Babur and Hunain, into its fleet, days after it assumed command of a multinational taskforce, CTF-150, responsible for ensuring maritime security in the southeastern waters of the Middle East, operating in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden.
Besides inducting various warships in its fleet, Pakistan Navy has held several joint exercises with friendly nations in recent years in a bid to enhance joint operational capabilities and strengthen regional security.
Pakistan Navy has also invited over 100 countries to the AMAN maritime exercises, scheduled to be held on Feb. 7-11, with the event including a dialogue for senior naval leaders for the first time. The exercise, held every two years, involves ships, aircraft and special operation forces.
KARACHI: Degradation of wetlands in Pakistan have put the survival of diverse species like the Indus River dolphin, freshwater turtles and migratory birds at risk, the World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan said on Saturday.
Wetlands are defined as both freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems, and include all lakes and rivers, swamps, marshes, peatlands, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and underground aquifers.
These areas are vital to human well-being and sustainable development but despite their critical role, wetlands are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss and degradation, according to environmental experts.
Pakistan is home to more than 240 significant wetlands, covering an estimated 10 percent of the country’s land. These wetlands offer essential ecosystem services, including water filtration, carbon storage, flood control, and habitat for countless species.
“The health of wetlands has been severely impacted by water stress, untreated industrial waste, land reclamation, and agricultural runoff,” WWF-Pakistan said, underscoring the need to protect and restore Pakistan’s wetlands.
“These factors continue to shrink wetland areas, diminishing their ecological value.”
Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhry, a WWF-Pakistan senior manager for research and conservation, called wetlands a “lifeline for millions of Pakistanis,” especially communities relying on fisheries, agriculture, and tourism.
This handout photo, released by the World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan on February 1, 2025, shows Uchali Lake in Punjab province. (Handout/WWF-Pakistan)
Pakistani wetlands like Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, Chashma Barrage and Jiwani Coastal Wetlands are critical breeding and feeding grounds for migratory birds, including white-headed ducks, flamingos, cranes, and the critically endangered Siberian crane, according to the WWF-Pakistan official. Wetlands also serve as nature’s buffer against climate change, absorbing excess floodwaters and reducing the impact of extreme weather events.
“Conserving wetlands is, therefore, not just an environmental imperative but a social and economic necessity,” Chaudhry urged.
WWF-Pakistan said it was actively working to conserve and restore wetlands through various initiatives, including the implementation of community-based conservation projects in the Indus Delta, Punjab’s wetlands, and Balochistan’s coastal ecosystems. The initiatives demonstrate the use of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address the challenges to wetlands.
It has improved engagement with policymakers to strengthen wetland protection laws and promote sustainable water management practices, according to the statement. Various initiatives are underway to train local communities in sustainable fishing, eco-tourism, and alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on wetland resources.
WWF-Pakistan urged government agencies, civil society, businesses, and local communities to take collective action for the conservation of wetlands as they support local livelihoods and offer ecosystem services.
“Simple actions such as reducing water wastage, preventing plastic pollution, promoting sustainable agriculture, and participating in wetland clean-up activities can contribute to preserving these invaluable ecosystems,” it said.
ICC appoints Boon, Gough and Illingworth for tri-series ODIs in Lahore and Karachi
The single league tri-series is scheduled to be played from Feb. 8 till Feb. 14 in Lahore and Karachi
Pakistan’s Qaddafi Stadium, National Bank Stadium are set to welcome back international cricket
Updated 01 February 2025
Shahjahan Khurram
ISLAMABAD: Australia’s David Boon, who is a member of ICC Elite Panel of match referees, will lead the playing control team for this month’s tri-nation one-day international (ODI) series involving hosts Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday.
The single league tri-series is set to be played from Feb. 8 till Feb. 14 in Lahore and Karachi as the newly upgraded Qaddafi Stadium and National Bank Stadium are set to welcome back international cricket, according to the PCB.
Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the much-anticipated opening match on Feb. 8 at the Qaddafi Stadium. England’s Michael Gough, member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, and Pakistan’s Faisal Khan Aafreedi, an ICC International Panel Umpire, will be the on-field umpires.
“ICC Elite Panel Umpire, Richard Illingworth will be the third umpire and Rashid Riaz, member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will be the fourth umpire,” the PCB said in a statement.
Qaddafi Stadium will also feature the New Zealand vs South Africa contest on February 10, where Illingworth and Riaz will serve as the on-field umpires, while Gough will be the third umpire. ICC’s International Panel of Umpires’ member Asif Yaqoob will be the fourth umpire for the fixture which is set to be played as a day game.
The action will move to Karachi’s National Bank Stadium for the last league match and the final of the tri-series. Yaqoob and Gough will form the on-field umpires’ duo, while Illingworth and Aafreedi will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively for the Pakistan vs South Africa fixture in Karachi.
In the final on February 14, ICC Elite Panel Umpire Ahsan Raza will officiate as an on-field umpire along with Illingworth, while Gough will be third umpire. Yaqoob will perform duties as the fourth umpire in the final.
The tri-nation series will be followed by the Champions Trophy tournament, which would also be hosted by Pakistan.
KARACHI: Flyadeal, a low-cost Saudi airline, has commenced its operations in Pakistan with an inaugural flight from Riyadh to Karachi, an airline official said on Saturday.
Headquartered in Jeddah, Flyadeal is a subsidiary of Saudi national flag carrier, Saudia, and was launched on Sept. 23, 2017. Initially, it flew to destinations within the Kingdom, but expanded its network by launching flights from Dammam to Cairo in Jun. 2022.
Flyadeal’s move to expand operations to Pakistan comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to boost its tourism sector under the Vision 2030 program, which aims to attract over 150 million domestic and international tourists annually to the Kingdom by the end of the decade.
The inaugural Flyadeal flight, F3-661, arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 8:04am on Saturday, according to a Pakistani Airport Authority (PAA) spokesperson. It was followed by the departure of another flight from Karachi to Riyadh.
“We are very proud that today was the first departure from Karachi to Riyadh of our flight,” Farooq S. Ahmad, Flyadeal’s head of sales told Arab News on Saturday.
“The capacity of the aircraft is 186 seats and the aircraft went full. In fact, [for] the next one week, all our flights are full to Jeddah and to Riyadh.”
The official said a ceremony was held at the Karachi’s Jinnah International airport to mark the occasion, with passengers receiving gifts by the airline. He said consumers inevitably benefit whenever a new airline enters the market and competition increases.
Ahmad highlighted an existing strong demand for travel between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, driven by religious tourism, the presence of a large Pakistani diaspora in the Kingdom, and general travel between the two countries.
“In the Pakistani market, Saudi Arabia is probably the number one destination,” Ahmad said. “There is, of course, the biggest attraction of Haramain Sharifain. So, people go for Hajj and Umrah there. Also, there’s a large diaspora of Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia. So, there’s a lot of home return and, blue-collar, white-collar traffic going to Saudi Arabia.”
Flyadeal’s competitive fares are expected to appeal to a broad range of travelers, according to the airline official. While the airline operates on a low-cost model, it caters to all passenger segments.
“We are a low-cost airline, but it’s not that we are targeting people only on a budget. We have more than 200 flights per day out of Jeddah, Riyadh and Damam. And our clientele is of all categories,” Ahmad said.
“So, it’s not that we are only targeting a specific class of people or specific group of people. What it is that it’s just another option in the market. We are very competitive.”
Following immense response in Pakistan, Flyadeal has already decided to double its weekly flights between Karachi and Jeddah from two to four. With two weekly flights operated between Riyadh and Karachi, it will bring the total number of flights to six from March 1, according to Ahmad.
The airline also has ambitious plans to expand its network within Pakistan.
“We have already increased our flights,” he shared. “We also have a complete plan of going to various parts of Pakistan and northern Pakistan. Eventually, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, hopefully Multan and Sialkot. We have a very comprehensive plan for Pakistan.”
Flyadeal has established an office in Karachi and currently, it is partnering with Matchless Global Group as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Pakistan, leveraging their existing network of offices, according to the official.
The airline’s expansion into Pakistan is also expected to create employment opportunities in the South Asia country.
“Any business opportunity to any country opens up opportunities for employment,” Ahmad added.
