India may not join anti-terror military exercise in Pakistan

Published March 26, 2021
Pakistan will host the anti-terror military exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) later this year, but no decision has been made to invite Indian troops. — APP/File
Pakistan will host the anti-terror military exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) later this year, but no decision has been made to invite Indian troops. — APP/File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will host the anti-terror military exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) later this year, but no decision has been made to invite Indian troops, a top military official told Dawn after the Pakistan Day parade on Thursday.

“Pakistan has not yet made any decision to invite Indian troops to take part in the military exercise,” he said.

The official could not be named as he is not authorised to talk to media. He said the Indian media was overplaying the decisions made on March 18 at the 36th meeting of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

“Such trainings result in both teaching as well as learning,” he said, adding that the success of Pakistan in defeating the roots and networks of terror had been recognised internationally.

“This is the reason that the honour to hold such an exercise has been give to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), and the elite units of several countries, including Russia and China and SCO members, are participating in it,” the official said.

The exercise “Pabbi-Antiterror-2021” is likely to be held in September-October this year at the NCTC in Pabbi, Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, another top military official said that it was less likely that Pakistan would invite Indian troops for the exercise owing to the traditional rivalry between the two nations.

“Pakistan has a strong and professional army, which has a reputation of successful counter-terror operations, and many countries are eager to participate in joint exercises with us to share our experiences amid this new global threat,” the official said.

He said the Indian media had been running stories that Indian forces would travel to Pakistan for any military exercise for the first time, “but it was far from truth at least for now”.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...
Risky slope
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Risky slope

Inflation likely to see an upward trajectory once high base effect tapers off.
Digital ID bill
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Digital ID bill

Without privacy safeguards, a centralised digital ID system could be misused for surveillance.
Dangerous revisionism
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Dangerous revisionism

When hatemongers call for digging up every mosque to see what lies beneath, there is a darker agenda driving matters.