According to the Pakistan Army media wing, a contingent of Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) has arrived for Joint Mechanized Training in Pakistan. According to details, the participating contingents of both militaries kicked off the two-month-long training activity in Multan on Tuesday. As said, joint training is aimed at strengthening and sharing knowledge through a comprehensive training program. During the session, both contingents will practice drills and procedures and carry out tactical exercises for the implementation of knowledge and evaluation of the technical parameters.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had enjoyed cordial relations over the last seven decades. Pakistan always gave utmost importance to its relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to its Custodianship of the Two Holy Mosques. The people of Pakistan have huge respect, auspicious sentiments toward Saudi Arabia and always seek a leading role for the kingdom in the Muslim world. Pakistan Military also has a special affiliation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Pakistanis perceive themselves as defenders of the sacred land of Hijaz-e-Muqddas. Both nations formalized their Defense relation through an accord of 1967, under which Pakistani military trainers were dispatched to Saudi Arabia to train Saudi land forces and Royal Saudi Air Force. Later, the two countries signed the Protocol Agreement in 1982 which paved the path for the deployment of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia for training and security purposes. The uncommon visit of Saudi Defense Minister Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud to Pakistan’s highly protected Nuclear Installation during 1999 was the peak of Paki-Saudi Defense ties, which always remained pleasant during all ups and downs between the two nations.
Presently, all the three Pakistani defense services including Army, Navy, and Air Force have deep working relationships with their Saudi Counterparts and both sides hold regular training drills and operational exercises to benefit from each other expertise and strengthen brotherly bonds between the two nations. Both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are facing challenges to their territorial Sovereignty and physical Security hence such bilateral security cooperation is imperative to counter the growing regional and extra-regional threats to both nations.
