Pak-Saudi military drill on the cards

[Nishan_101]

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif is said to have discussed with the Saudi authorities the generalities of a joint military exercise that may take place this year, during his maiden official visit to Saudi Arabia concluded Friday.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s joint military exercise SAMSAM-IV was last held in September-October 2011 whereas the joint naval exercise was held in January last year.
“The selection of name, time and place for the military exercise is under consideration. As of now, both sides have agreed to conduct combined military manoeuvres in the ongoing year,” said an intelligence insider requesting not to be named. He said the army chief discussed the issue during his meetings with the Saudi Armed Forces chief General Hussain Bin Abdullah Al Qubayyal and Saudi army chief Lieutenant General Eid Bin Awadh Al Shalwi on Wednesday.
Whether the military exercise would be in sequel to SAMSAM exercises or it would be held under a separate name, also remains to be decided, the source added.
Started Tuesday night, Gen Raheel Sharif’s three-day visit to Saudi Arabia took place amid the reports that Saudi Arabia was acting as a mediator between the government and security establishment for Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf’s ‘safe’ exit from Pakistan to skip the treason trial. The COAS visit, his first ever since assuming the incumbent charge, concluded yesterday (Friday) which conspicuously coincided with an all important hearing in a Special Court here against Musharraf regarding the treason trial. The court had recently issued the former dictator’s bailable arrest warrants for not appearing before the court despite being ordered to, and had fixed February 7 the date for hearing the related case. The Special Court has warned that Musharraf’s non-bail-able arrests warrants would be issued should he refuse to appear before the court on February 18.
However, the intelligence official insists, Raheel Sharif’s visit was planned in December’s first week as part of his official commitments soon after Sharif took over as army chief last November 29.
The Saudi Embassy’s Spokesman in Islamabad Baddar Alotaibi on Thursday expressed inability to comment on Saudi Arabia’s presumed role in Musharraf’s treason trial issue. On military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, he said, without getting into the specifications, both the states have initiated a host of bilateral projects in defence and strategic sectors. “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy brotherly relations and are cooperating in different areas of mutual interests,” he told this correspondent in a brief telephonic conversation Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Pakistan’s military had said, Gen Raheel Sharif was conferred King Abdul Aziz Medal of Excellence. He also held separate meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Abdul Rahman Bin Ali Al Rubaian and Saudi armed forces and military chiefs. These meetings, according to a press release, focused on defence and security cooperation, regional stability and steps towards strengthening bonds between the two countries.
Apart from Saudi Arabia, the source said, deliberations are also under way for joint military exercises with China and Turkey in the ongoing year. Pak-Turk Joint Training Exercise Attaturk-VII was held in September 2011 and Sino-Pak Joint Military Exercise YOUYI-IV was held in Pakistan in November 2011.

Pak-Saudi military drill on the cards

KSA needs to build up its force as well like they should have planned an Army of about 1.1 Million men by 2018 and get trainers from Pakistan and similarly increasing the numbers in Airforce and Navy specially submerge force...

 

[razgriz19]

again I ask honestly and respectfully because I am curious why so many Pakistani people on this forum kiss the Saudi foot so much? Saudi Arabia would never go to battle for you against india. At best the Saudi government will throw you some money to do the dirty work for them like terrorist operations in Syria. You can also thank Saudi Arabia for your image of Osama bin laden, Taliban, and al Qaeda.

simple answer. Two of the holiest mosques are there.

 

[nangyale]

Depends who have the better numbers and more training.

Let's not over repeat Muslim,
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
muslim

as it sounds like you just were let out of a madrassah.

It's funny @Infoman and Mr Historian are having a dig at each other. Last time I was fielding inquires from the two of you regarding the 2003 Iraq invasion.

 

[nangyale]

again I ask honestly and respectfully because I am curious why so many Pakistani people on this forum kiss the Saudi foot so much? Saudi Arabia would never go to battle for you against india.

Pakistan doesn't need Saudi man power to fight India. If any thing Pakistan has an excess of that and is a net exporter of human resources.

. At best the Saudi government will throw you some money to do the dirty work for them like terrorist operations in Syria. You can also thank Saudi Arabia for your image of Osama bin laden, Taliban, and al Qaeda.

I would suggest if you leave Pakistan out of the Syrian conflict, Pakistan doesn't have any role in that. It's for the Syrian people to sort out their internal problems. Although in the past Pakistan did help Syria when they had an external problem.
As far the image problem is concerned, I think none of the Muslim countries of the region have a great image in the Western media. They call it the arc of instability, starting from Morocco all the way to Pakistan so it includes Iran as well. If anything Iran has worse image than Pakistan remember "axis of evil".

 

[SHAMK9]

So does this mean Saudi Arabia will fight alongside Pakistan against India if there was a war? Or just Pakistan used by Saudi Arabia to fight Arabs in Syria or Muslims in Iran?

Why the fuq would pakistan ever fight Syria or Iran?

 

[Rank]

 

[Kompromat]

Brilliant Waleed!

 

[Babu999]

Avoid debate

 

[star_11]

Preparation is underway for a major joint Saudi-Pakistani-Egyptian military exercise, code named northern thunder, in the north of KSA. - @jsiwat

Apparently 20,000 Egyptian soldiers are taking part in these exercises. Not sure about Pakistani soldiers.

 

[Imtiaz_Sarwar]

Joint exercises are in the benefit of both countries. Both countries learn something new and that should be the objective besides building trust and operational preparedness.

 

[somebozo]

Indians will in their initial waves, try to use IAF's enormous power to overwhelm Pakistani AF and ground forces.

Expect that they will do a coordinated attack on our infrastructure not unlike what Americans did to Sad-Damn in GW-1.

This is where we'll be tested.

Not on ground, but in the air,

Also expect naval blockade where Indian navy can bring their AC battle group and deny our Masroor AFB to respond in any meaningful way.


If we can thwart the air and naval attacks, we may be able to safe our face on the ground.

May be!

Hope this helps

Any country with a defensive war strategy is not going anywhere and such is the case of Pakistan..
If you want to go offensive..divide the army into two Eastern and Western Wing...create a new invasive force to spear head the initial attack...have it independent with its own airforce and sea assets...have a bulk of navy and airforce to make co-ordinate attacks...the three S to wining war is speed, surprise and shock...

There is a lot to learn from rag tag terrorist groups! their speed and efficiency halts down even the most professional forces...

 

[fatman17]

Preparation is underway for a major joint Saudi-Pakistani-Egyptian military exercise, code named northern thunder, in the north of KSA. - @jsiwat

Apparently 20,000 Egyptian soldiers are taking part in these exercises. Not sure about Pakistani soldiers.

Small contingent at best.

 

[Cool_Soldier]

Taking part in such big military exercises is a good idea.It gives opportunities to learn others tactics as well to learn modern equipment.As mostly Arab countries are having modern weapons from USA and Europe. So, good chance to check their capability.
But be careful of being a part of regional conflict.