COAS Munir, UK counterpart discuss measures to further elevate bilateral defence relations

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir met his British counterpart General Sir Patrick Sanders, where the two discussed measures to further elevate bilateral defence relations, the military’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday.

In the meeting, which was also attended by CGS-designate of the UK Army General Sir Roland Walker, both sides “discussed matters of professional interest and measures to further elevate bilateral defence relations”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The army chief thanked Gen Sanders, the chief of general staff (CGS) of the UK Army, for his services in enhancing bilateral military ties and felicitated Gen Walker on his nomination as the UK Army’s next CGS, the statement added.

COAS Munir and Gen Sanders addressed the opening session of the sixth Pakistan-UK Regional Stabilisation Conference at Islamabad’s National Defence University on Tuesday, the ISPR said. The UK Army’s CGS-designate also attended the event.

The conference is a flagship defence and security dialogue between Pakistan and the UK, held alternately in the two countries, the statement noted.

It brings together a “formidable corpus of subject matter experts in diverse domains, including diplomats, defence officials, intellectuals and civil society representatives”.

In connection with the conference, a 30-member UK delegation led by Standing Joint Force Commander Major General Tom Bateman was visiting Pakistan from April 29 to May 3, the ISPR said.

“During the conference, delegations from both sides will exchange perspectives on global and regional environment and its impact on national security, and regional peace and stability,” it added.

The ISPR highlighted that this year, the scope of discussion had been expanded from bilateral to regional issues and that defence officials of both countries were also participating in the conference.

In a meeting with COAS Munir last year during his Pakistan visit, the UK CGS had acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. He had also called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.