Pakistan Army Chief Discusses Regional Security Situation With Saudi, UAE Foreign Ministers

Pakistan’s Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday met visiting foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and discussed with them security situation in the region. Tension between India and Pakistan has spiked after New Delhi withdrew Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into two union territories.

General Bajwa during the meeting with Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan said that Pakistan was proud of its special strategic and brotherly relationship with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Army said that matters of mutual interest including growing bilateral ties and security situation in the region were also discussed in the meeting.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had met the two foreign ministers. Khan said that Saudi Arabia and the UAE along with the world should play a role in urging India to reverse its recent decision on Kashmir.

A statement released by Khan’s office said, “Both countries would remain engaged to help address the current challenges, defuse tensions, and promote an environment of peace and security”.

Amidst high tensions with India, reports suggest that Pakistan is planning to buy 36 Mirage V fighters that have already been retired from service from the Egyptian Air Force but will be upgraded to fit the requirements of the Pakistan Air Force. Negotiations with Egypt are in the final stages, according to reports.

To recall, it was the Indian Air Force Mirage 2000  fighter jets that flew in undetected well about 80 km inside Pakistan in Balakot on February 26 and bombed the terror camps.The Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jets which are known for its sturdiness and accuracy is a better and more advanced version of Mirage V. 

Pakistan has a 45-year-old dedicated factory called the Mirage Rebuild Factory at Kamra in Attock and is the old customer of the Mirage. Based on 'older' hydraulic technology, PAF’s Mirage fighters (both V and III variants) do not have the critical ‘fly-by-wire’ capability which the IAF’s Mirage 2000 possesses. Beside the Mirage, PAF's backbone is the Chinese made JF 17 multirole fighter but which is limited by shorter range and limited payload capacity.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tension between India and Pakistan has spiked after New Delhi withdrew Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
• Bajwa said Pakistan was proud of its special strategic, brotherly relationship with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• Army said that matters of mutual interest including growing bilateral ties were discussed.