JCSC chief for enhanced defence cooperation with Russia, China

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan attaches great importance to furthering bilateral defence cooperation with Russia and China and believes that these countries will develop meaningful and long-term strategic relationships through enhanced cooperation.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Nadeem Raza said this during his meetings with Russian Federation Chief of General Staff General Valery V Gerasimov and People’s Liberation Army Chief of Joint Staff General Li Zuocheng during his visit to Russia to witness the Exercise Peace Mission 2021 in the ambit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday.
Gen Nadeem also attended a meeting of the chiefs of general staff of the armed forces of SCO member states, where the forum discussed the international and regional geopolitical environment with an emphasis on the situation in Afghanistan. The activities of transnational terrorist organisations in various regions of the world were also discussed, according to the ISPR.
While addressing the forum, the JCSC chairman stated that Pakistan will continue to work with the SCO to advance the shared objectives of peace, progress and stability in the region, and beyond, the ISPR statement quoted him as saying.
General Raza also highlighted the “unparalleled contributions” of the Pakistan armed forces towards global peace and sacrifices in the war against terrorism.
“Peace in Afghanistan is a collective responsibility and [the] complete region will be its biggest beneficiary,” General Raza was quoted as saying in the ISPR statement.
The closing ceremony of the Exercise Peace Mission 2021 was held at the Donguz training area in Orenburg Region, Russia.
Colonel General Alexander Lapin, Commander of Central Military district Russia, was the chief guest on this occasion. Troops from all SCO member states participated in the exercises and shared each other’s experiences.