ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday conferred its prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) on UAE naval chief Major General Humaid Abdulla Alremeithi, highlighting the close defense partnership between the two countries as the commander met senior civilian and military leaders in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The UAE naval chief was bestowed with the award by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari at a special investiture ceremony in Islamabad, according to the president’s office.
Later, Maj. Gen. Alremeithi met with the president, who said the award was a recognition of his outstanding services, while his visit reflected the enduring fraternal ties between Pakistan and the UAE.
“The President underscored that Pakistan and the UAE enjoy extraordinary and exemplary relations, rooted in history and strengthened by enduring people-to-people bonds,” the Pakistan president’s office said in a statement.
“He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue working closely with the UAE to further strengthen these brotherly ties.”
Pakistan and the UAE have strong defense, trade, cultural and brotherly relations, with both countries regularly participating in joint military exercises to strengthen their joint operability.
Highlighting the strong defense and security partnership between Pakistan and the UAE, the President expressed satisfaction over the active participation of the UAE Navy in Aman Dialogue-25 and Exercise Aman-25 in Feb. this year, according to the statement.
He appreciated the confidence the UAE Navy has placed in the professional expertise of Pakistan Navy and assured that Pakistan Navy remains ready to support the UAE Navy’s manpower requirements in the future as well, emphasizing the importance of further enhancing collaboration between the two naval forces.
Commander Alremeithi said he had close ties with Pakistan, having spent four years in the country while graduating from the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi, the Pakistan presidency said.
Separately, the UAE naval chief met with Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
The two dignitaries held in-depth discussions on professional matters, reviewing the evolving global and regional geo-strategic environment, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
The meetings focused on professional matters, evolving global and regional geo-strategic environment. In his meeting with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, both sides explored fresh avenues of engagement through joint training initiatives and deeper military-to-military cooperation.
“The visiting dignitary expressed the earnest desire of the UAE Armed Forces to draw from the Pakistan Air Force’s rich operational experience in multi-domain warfare,” the ISPR said. “He underscored that PAF’s tested operational framework and combat-proven doctrine remain invaluable for regional and international partners alike.”
The development follows a four-day Pakistan-India military standoff in May, during which officials said the PAF successfully conducted multi-domain operations to down six Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale jets. While India has acknowledged losses in the air, it has not specified the number of aircraft lost.
The hour-long India-Pakistan fight, which took place in darkness, involved some 110 aircraft, experts estimate, making it the world’s largest air battle in decades.
Pakistan’s Chines-made J-10s shot down at least one Rafale, Reuters reported in May, citing US officials. Its downing surprised many in the military community and raised questions about the effectiveness of Western military hardware against untested Chinese alternatives.
“Commander of the UAE Naval Forces further conveyed UAE’s keen interest in conducting joint exercises with PAF, highlighting the immense value of mutual learning, operational synergy and enhanced interoperability,” the ISPR said.
“He also shared that the UAE Air Force is eager to participate in joint training initiatives in Pakistan, an undertaking he described as a vital cornerstone in further cementing the brotherly relations between the two nations.”
