NATO-Pakistan hold ninth military staff talks

  • 05 Nov. 2019 - 08 Nov. 2019
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  • Last updated: 08 Nov. 2019 16:41

From 5 to 8 November 2019, a delegation of NATO military officials led by the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann held military staff talks with high-level Pakistani officials in Islamabad.

General Wiermann was hosted by his Pakistani counterpart, Lieutenant General Muhammad Chiragh Haider, Director General of the Joint Staff. General Wiermann and General Chiragh Haider exchanged views on security challenges facing Pakistan and NATO. General Wiermann reiterated that NATO values the military-to-military cooperation that ensues from the Pakistan – NATO partnership.  Both officers agreed that Pakistan is a critical partner in the war on terror and that terrorism continues to pose a threat to the security of our populations and to international stability. General Wiermann recognized the important contributions Pakistan continues to make in the fight against terrorism, acknowledged the sacrifices made by Pakistan in this regard, and thanked Pakistan for its continued support to the Alliance’s ongoing operation in Afghanistan.  He stressed that NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism is an integral part of the Alliance’s 360-degree approach to deterrence and defence and projecting stability. At the conclusion of the staff talks, General Wiermann and General Chiragh Haider agreed on a military-to-military cooperation work plan for the coming year. 

In addition to the staff talks, General Wiermann’s visit included meetings with General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General (retired) Ikram ul Haq, Secretary of Defence, Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, and Vice Admiral Ather Mukhtar, Vice Chief of the Navy Staff.