Special forces form the Egyptian, Jordanian and Pakistani armies have started “The Dawn of the East 1″ joint military drill, which is being held in Pakistan from 1 to 8 November. The exercise’s first phase started with the arrival of special forces units from the three countries to the National Counter Terrorism Authority’s (NACTA) headquarters in Pakistan. The chief of Pakistan’s special forces, Momtaz Hussien, gave a welcome speech to participant forces, stating that the exercise comes within the framework of developing military ties between the three armies to the level of partnership and exchange of expertise in the counter-terrorism field. The exercise involves training on inspecting, searching and confronting explosives as well as medical aid operations. The drills are expected to last for two weeks and include the Egyptian, Pakistani, and Jordanian armed forces, with a number of other countries as observers. A coordination conference was held between the participating forces to unify concepts and achieve integration and familiarity between the implementing elements, to contribute to the standardization of operational concepts and coordinate efforts, to carry out joint team work accurately and efficiently. The drills include the implementation of many activities and events and typical and non-typical shooting, in addition to training in counter-terrorism. The training represents a quantum leap for the military relations between Egypt and Pakistan, as it is the first of its kind. It aims at providing a rich environment with mutual field and tactical experiences to raise the level of preparedness and combat readiness of the participating forces and enhance the combat and technical capabilities of both sides. The training is part of a series of joint drills carried out by the Egyptian armed forces with many brotherly and friendly countries, to transfer and exchange experiences and support security and stability efforts.