Daily Times

Pakistan Navy Ship Zulfiqar visited Port of Algiers, Algeria as part of overseas deployment in Mediterranean Sea. On arrival at port area, the PN ship was received by Algerian navy ship and welcomed by Pakistani Head of Chancery at Algiers Munawar Hussain and officials from Algerian Navy.

During stay at port, the Mission Commander Commodore Syed Rizwan Khalid called on Commander Central Maritime Region of Algerian Navy Commodore Gaid Nour Eddine. During the interaction, matters of mutual interest were discussed and contribution of Pakistan Navy to regional peace and maritime security were acknowledged. Mission Commander also conveyed well wishes from Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Algeria in general and Algerian Navy in particular.

The Ambassador of Pakistan to Algeria Mr Ata ul Munim Shahid also visited onboard PNS Zulfiqar and interacted with Mission Cdr and Commanding Officer of the ship. Upon departure from Algeria, PNS Zulfiqar conducted naval exercise with Algerian Navy Ships.

Earlier to Algerian port visit, PNS Zulfiqar participated in bilateral naval exercise with Royal Moroccan Navy Ship Sultan Moulay Ismael in Strait of Gibraltar. The exercise included advanced Maritime maneuvers, Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), Boarding and Force Protection drills. The exercise was aimed to enhance military cooperation through naval engagement and augment interoperability between the two friendly navies.

The visit of PNS Zulfiqar and conduct of bilateral naval drill with Algerian and Moroccan navies will foster navy to navy relations and will go a long way in strengthening diplomatic and military relations, among the friendly countries.

Naval exercises:

The naval forces of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have concluded their final planning meeting for the “Naseem Al Bahr 13” joint exercise, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Saturday.

“The final planning conference for the (Naseem Al Bahr 13) exercise between the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the Pakistani counterpart, has concluded in Pakistan, with the participation of the Royal Saudi Air Force,” the SPA said.

It added that the exercise aims to enhance cooperation between the two nations in the field of “planning and implementation of joint operations, enhancing maritime security, and protecting waterways.”

In July 2019, three Saudi naval officers were among 175 graduates at the Pakistan naval academy’s commissioning parade in Karachi, where Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) commander, Vice Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, was the chief guest.

The Pakistan navy has provided training to the Kingdom’s officers and sailors during the Saudi navy’s formative years between the 1970s and ’80s. In May, Pakistan’s Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the Kingdom, where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a coterie of other senior officials to review bilateral relations. Last month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud also discussed strengthening security cooperation with Gen. Bajwa at the Pakistan Army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi.