ISLAMABAD: In a sign of growing defence ties, Pakistani and Iranian colours on Wednesday agreed on training exchanges and enhanced counterterrorism cooperation.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Bajwa and visiting Iranian Chief of General Staff Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri at the General Headquarters. The two commanders held one-on-one talks that were followed by a delegation- position meeting.
Conversations, theatre-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, covered a wide range of issues including the situation in Afghanistan, indigenous security and border operation particularly fencing along the Pak-Iran border. Bilateral defence cooperation was also bandied.
“ Both agreed on further enhancing defence cooperation and working together for indigenous peace and unified response to terrorism which is a common adversary,” the ISPR explained.
Read: Top Iranian military commander arrives in Pakistan
The statement noted Gen Bagheri’s desire for expansion of military-to-military ties, specifically in counterterrorism and training disciplines.
The Iranian commander had in an interview with IRNA, the Iranian newswire, said soon after his appearance in Pakistan that military and defence relations between the two countries had grown over the times. He’d expressed the stopgap they would expand further.
Gen Bagheri, the ISPR said, was briefed on the training governance of the Pakistan Army, its collaborations with friendly countries and holding of common drills.
Ties between the two neighbours in history remained marred by deep distrust because of their divergent geopolitical alignments, but relations have significantly bettered during Gen Bajwa’s term and the progress is reflected in the bettered border security situation.
President of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza and Gen Bagheri, in another meeting, underlined that common borders should be‘Borders of Peace & Friendship’, the ISPR said after their meeting at the Joint Staff Headquarters.
The two bandied bilateral defence and security cooperation, counter-terrorism sweats and indigenous terrain particularly in the environment of Afghanistan.
“ They dilated upon measures to enhance the position and compass of military engagements between both countries and pledged to continue to forge deeper ties,” the ISPR said.
Gen Raza said Gen Bagheri’s visit “ marks a new stage in strengthening the service, defence and security relations between the two fraternal countries.”
Calls on premier
The Iranian commander latterly called on Prime Minister Imran Khan who bandied the significance of indigenous stability.
Mr Khan described the Pakistan-Iran border as a border of peace and Friendship’, according to a PM Office statement.
The high minister also underscored the significance of the way taken for enhanced security on both sides and participated in Pakistan’s perspective on the rearmost developments in Afghanistan. He stressed that as neighbours of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran had a direct stake in peace and stability in the country.
He also laid emphasis on continued close collaboration between Pakistan and Iran, including through the platform of six neighbouring countries of Afghanistan established last month.
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