https://arab.news/r7pwq
- Pakistan’s army chief calls for military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue amid hybrid and transnational threats
- The participants expressed commitment to upholding peace and confronting challenges like militancy, cyber insecurity
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hosted a rare regional defense conference on Saturday, with officials from the United States joining their counterparts from four Central Asian republics to discuss enhanced military cooperation and counterterrorism coordination in the neighborhood.
The US maintained a significant military presence in the region through Afghanistan until the withdrawal of international forces in August 2021. The conference in Islamabad marked the first multilateral defense engagement of its kind hosted by Pakistan amid a gradual thaw in relations between Islamabad and Washington, with participation from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Many of the participating Central Asian states share borders with or lie close to Afghanistan and remain exposed to the spillover effects of militant violence, narcotics trafficking and regional instability.
Pakistan, which shares a porous frontier with Afghanistan, has repeatedly called for deeper security cooperation to confront shared threats in the aftermath of the Afghan conflict.
“In an era defined by transnational threats and complex hybrid challenges, the imperative for deeper military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue and mutual trust is paramount,” Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said during his opening address, according to a statement released by the military’s media wing.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to working with partner nations to build a secure and prosperous regional environment,” he added.
Earlier, the army chief welcomed the participants of the Regional Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, held under the theme “Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace.”
The event focused on strengthening regional security partnerships, expanding joint training efforts and improving crisis response mechanisms.
Delegates also discussed the strategic landscape in South and Central Asia, with emphasis on evolving threats, sovereignty concerns and military diplomacy.
The official statement said the participants reaffirmed their commitment to upholding peace, respecting national sovereignty and confronting common challenges including militant violence and cyber insecurity.
Delegates praised Pakistan’s role in convening the meeting and commended its leadership, hospitality and efforts to promote regional defense diplomacy.