UNIPATH STAFF
Pakistan’s Armed Forces demonstrated a commitment to multinational cooperation through a series of military exercises that engaged partners from the Middle East and Central Asia in the second half of 2023.
Counterterrorism was the focus of the Al Battar 1 joint exercise between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2023. Special forces contingents from both countries — supported by combat aircraft — displayed their skills in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northern Pakistan. The location of the exercise was deliberately chosen because it is among the provinces most affected by terrorist violence.
A second counterterrorism exercise, in Barotha, Pakistan, occurred a few weeks later with the participation of special forces from Kazakhstan, Qatar, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Called Eternal Brotherhood 2, the exercise was designed so that forces operated jointly while sharing counterterrorism experiences.
Pakistani forces also attended the Bright Star 23 exercise in Egypt alongside troops from more than a dozen countries. A highlight of the September exercise was engagement of combat pilots, air defense controllers, and ground crews operating JF-17 Thunder fighter jets as part of a multinational force that included the U.S. and Egyptian air forces. Sources: Hilal, Arab News