ISLAMABAD – A range of defence issues came under discussion as top Pakistani and Saudi naval officers met in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Sunday.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the naval officers from the two sides “cherished” military cooperation between the two countries.
The two naval forces have strong relations since Pakistan provided training to Saudi officers and sailors during the Saudi navy’s formative period between 1970s and 1980s. Many Saudi officers have graduated from the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi.
Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Mohammed Al-Gharibi welcomed Pakistan’s deputy chief of naval staff along with his delegation in Riyadh.
“The two sides discussed issues of common concern and cherished the means of military cooperation between the two countries,” the SPA report read.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy deep-rooted brotherly and defense ties. In October this year, Pakistani and Saudi forces conducted the joint Naseem Al-Bahr 13 naval exercise in the Arabian Sea near Karachi with Saudi F-15 aircraft participating in a missile-firing drill for the first time.
Saudi Naval Forces Commander, General Fahad Bin Abdullah Al Ghofaily, had travelled to Pakistan to witness the exercise.
The drill included joint conduct of maritime security operations across the traditional and non-traditional warfare domains to enhance interoperability between both navies.
