Pak-US military, intel cooperation strengthening: Ambassador Jilani

WASHINGTON: Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani said that military cooperation and intelligence sharing between Pakistan and the US is progressing smoothly, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

Talking to Geo News after attending a dinner in Washington, Ambassador Jilani said that the cooperation between Pakistan and the US over the Pak-Afghanistan border vigilance will continue even in more effective manner.

He said that Pakistan had a clear stance over the Afghan presidential elections that there would be no interference. The international community including the US had lauded Pakistan’s role for a stable region.

Ambassador Jilani told that Pakistan is likely to receive a payment from Asian Development Bank and World Bank next month while the next tranche of $350 million under Coalition Support Fund will be transferred to Pakistan in few days.

Iran passes law to boost cooperation with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Despite tensions prevailing between Pakistan and Iran in the past few months over incidents on the Pak-Iran border in Balochistan and Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province, Sunday saw a marked difference.

Iran's parliament adopted a bill which seeks to enhance security cooperation with Pakistan which The News understands would bind the two countries to cooperate against terrorist and militant groups on the border.

This week will also see the navies of the two countries carrying out joint military exercises in Iran. Despite reaching out to the Foreign Office and the Inter Services Public Relations, there was no response for more details. Neither was there any statement on their websites in what is an important development.

It is unbelievable that when there are efforts for an improvement in bilateral relations between Pakistan and an important neighbour, both the civil and military authorities maintain a stony silence.

The passing of a bill in parliament and news of naval exercises between the two navies come on the eve of a visit to Tehran by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for which both sides are working on mutually agreed dates.

Recently, the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl which operates on the Iranian border has on several occasions kidnapped and killed Iranian border guards. Pakistan has denied that these activities take place on its territory. Only recently relations had soured to an extent that the Iranian interior minister threatened hot pursuit inside Pakistan to recover six kidnapped border guards. His threat came as a result of an uproar in the Iranian parliament which demanded that the government seeks the release of its border guards.

Pakistan reacted quickly warning Iran that it had no authority and such an act would be seen as violation of international law. Consequently five of the security guards were handed over to Iranian authorities but one of them had been killed, with Pakistan once again saying that all this was done inside Iranian territory.

In the past this same terrorist group had killed a dozen Iranian soldiers. Sunday also saw the Pakistani fleet inside Iranian waters where they would coordinate with Iran for holding of joint military exercises in the Eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan's fleet includes a warship, a submarine and a logistics warship. "The most important programme of the Pakistani fleet, during its stay in Bandar Abbas, is to launch joint maneuvers with selected units of Iran's Navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait," Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told IRNA. Irani also said that the Pakistani flotilla is slated to stay for four days and that the naval drills are part of a broader cooperation between the two countries.

 

Iran passes law to boost cooperation with Pakistan

 

ISLAMABAD: Despite tensions prevailing between Pakistan and Iran in the past few months over incidents on the Pak-Iran border in Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, Sunday saw a marked difference.
Iran’s parliament adopted a bill which seeks to enhance security cooperation with Pakistan which The News understands would bind the two countries to cooperate against terrorist and militant groups on the border.

This week will also see the navies of the two countries carrying out joint military exercises in Iran.Despite reaching out to the Foreign Office and the Inter Services Public Relations, there was no response for more details. Neither was there any statement on their websites in what is an important development.

It is unbelievable that when there are efforts for an improvement in bilateral relations between Pakistan and an important neighbour, both the civil and military authorities maintain a stony silence.

The passing of a bill in parliament and news of naval exercises between the two navies come on the eve of a visit to Tehran by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for which both sides are working on mutually agreed dates.

Recently, the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl which operates on the Iranian border has on several occasions kidnapped and killed Iranian border guards.Pakistan has denied thatthese activities take place on its territory. Only recently relations had soured to an extent that the Iranian interior minister threatened hot pursuit inside Pakistan to recover six kidnapped border guards. His threat came as a result of an uproar in the Iranian parliament which demanded that the government seeks the release of its border guards.

Pakistan reacted quickly warning Iran that it had no authority and such an act would be seen as violation of international law.Consequently five of the security guards were handed over to Iranian authorities but one of them had been killed, with Pakistan once again saying that all this was done inside Iranian territory.

In the past this same terrorist group had killed a dozen Iranian soldiers.Sunday also saw the Pakistani fleet inside Iranian waters where they would coordinate with Iran for holding of joint military exercises in the Eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan’s fleet includes a warship, a submarine and a logistics warship.“The most important programme of the Pakistani fleet, during its stay in Bandar Abbas, is to launch joint maneuvers with selected units of Iran’s Navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait,” Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told IRNA.Irani also said that the Pakistani flotilla is slated to stay for four days and that the naval drills are part of a broader cooperation between the two countries.

World cooperation must to ensure nuclear security: Nawaz

 

THE HAGUE: Emphasising that Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear programme posed no threat to any country, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday underlined the need for constant vigilance and preparedness at the national level as well as international cooperation to strengthen the nuclear security.
“Let me clarify that there is no such thing as ‘nuclear security fatigue’. Nuclear security is a continuous national responsibility,” the prime minister said in his opening remarks at the ‘Informal Plenary on the future of the Nuclear Security Summit’.

He suggested that in the years to come, the states should maintain political will and high level focus to advance the agenda of nuclear security.“In future, while implementing our decisions, we have to strike a balance between confidentiality and openness and steer away from both alarmism and complacency. Nuclear security must not fade off the leaders’ radar screens,” he maintained.

The prime minister expressed the pleasure that US President Barack Obama would be hosting the next nuclear security summit (NSS) in 2016. “It is only fitting that this process, which was launched in the United States, is also concluded there. We know we cannot hold the summits in perpetuity,” he added.

He said in the past four years, three summits had made progress and the next summit would cover a fresh ground. “We have to look beyond the present process and the 2016.”

He also stressed the need for broadening participation in this process to widen its ownership to enhance its legitimacy.

“It makes perfect sense that beyond 2016 the entire membership of the IAEA owns and upholds the decisions taken by the nuclear security summits,” he opined.“In close consultation with the IAEA membership, we should dispel the impression that the NSS process is imposing new mandates on the agency.”

“As we go forward, we will have to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. We are not creating parallel mechanisms or a new treaty regime,” he said.He said in post-2016, the focus should be on synergy and coordination among various components of the nuclear security architecture — which comprises the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), the UN 1540 Committee, conventions on physical protection of nuclear material and the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, and relevant international forums.

“The process, we envisage, could be supported by senior officials and experts. The exact cycle and scope of the follow-up process, led by the IAEA, could be discussed at the 2016 summit,” he added.

“By 2016, our four summits would have put substantial content on the table for follow-up and implementation, which are key for strengthened international cooperation,” he added.Meanwhile, talking to French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit here, Nawaz said the economy of Pakistan had suffered heavily in the war against terrorism and the Friends of Pakistan must acknowledge its sacrifices in a tangible manner.

Nawaz said the international community should reciprocate Pakistan by helping and supporting its trade and economy. He said Pakistan attached special importance to its relations with France and expressed the hope that these relations would continue to improve in all fields of cooperation in future.

The prime minister told the French president that Pakistan was keen to normalise its relations with India and underlined the importance of solution to the Kashmir issue. Hollande said France acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror and appreciated the economic reforms being undertaken by the government. He also appreciated Pakistan’s initiative to normalise its relations with India.

He said France was also looking towards improving relations with Pakistan in all fields, especially in trade and defence.Nawaz also met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday and discussed with her matters of mutual interest, including the bilateral trade. He termed the meeting “productive”.

In an interaction with media persons following the meeting, the prime minister said he thanked the German chancellor for her country’s support to Pakistan to get the GSP Plus status.The prime minister said Pakistan’s relations with India and Afghanistan also came under discussion.

Meanwhile, 35 countries on Tuesday pledged to turn international guidelines on nuclear security into national laws — a move aimed at preventing terrorists from getting their hands onto nuclear material.

The Tuesday’s initiative also commits countries to open up their security procedures to independent review, marking a further step towards creating an international legal framework to thwart nuclear terrorism, said a joint statement from the Netherlands, the United States and South Korea.

Bosan for enhanced Pak-Australia cooperation to strengthen Agri sector

MULTAN: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Bosan Friday lauded Australian help in tackling mango diseases for enhanced production of the exotic fruit and added that their pre-harvest guidelines tripled the income of mango growers in targeted areas of Sindh and Punjab.
Talking to reporters at the circuit house, he said that Pakistan and Australia should move ahead for a national level project in the country to expand the benefits to all the provinces in line with efforts aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector.
Bosan was accompanied by a delegation of Australian agriculture scientists led by Ian Bally currently paying a visit to South Punjab and Sindh agriculture areas to explore the need and possibilities for further extension in the on-going Australia-Pakistan Agriculture Sector Linkage Programme (ASLP) for research on mango diseases including Sudden Death and mango malformation besides mango post-harvest handling.
The Minister said that ASLP Mango project has established 24 integrated research sites in Punjab and 12 in Sindh where pre-harvest mango orchard management technology has increased the income of growers from Rs 0.1 million to Rs 0.3 million.
He said that Sudden Death disease can not go away permanently, however, the technology and guidelines conveyed by the Australian experts helped mango growers in a big way.
The delegation head Ian Bally told reporters that growers can increase their production two to three times and improve its quality by following the mango farm management guidelines against sudden death disease. Our research on mango malformation disease was still in progress, he added. He advised growers to perform pruning in their orchards to enable sunlight and air reach plants for proper growth and fruit formation.
The Australian scientist said that Australia will also provide help to Pakistan on post-harvest technology and guidelines for enhanced mango export. Most of Pakistani mango production is wasted between harvest and consumer stage, Ian Bally said.
The Minister said that ASLP Mango project developed three nurseries at Mango Research Station Shujabad, Sindh Horticulture Research Institute Mirpur Khas and Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam besides three nursery shades. Two commercial nurseries at Sadiqabad and Vehari were operational, he said adding that the Sadiqabad nursery had reared 30,000 mango plants and grafted 8000 which have been sold to orchard owners.
The ASLP project also assisted 17 masters level students and two Ph.D students for their degree research.
Minister said that four research papers were published in the national and international journals while six research abstracts were presented in 2013 and eight abstracts submitted for the conference to be held in 2014.

Pak-China defence cooperation discussed

Federal minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif giving souvenir to his Chinese counterpart, Chang Wanguan. APP

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan said on Thursday that China-Pakistan defence cooperation was a factor of peace and stability in the region.
He was speaking to his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif at the defence ministry.
A statement by the ministry quoted the visiting Chinese minister as saying that Sino-Pak “cooperation has an overarching strategic dimension”. He further said: “Our mutually supportive cooperation in the field of defence is a critical factor in maintenance of peace and stability in the region”.
The two sides discussed defence production, maritime cooperation, joint military exercises and defence and security cooperation.
The Chinese defence minister later visited the General Headquarters where he was received by Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif.
Following a one-to-one meeting between Mr Chang and Gen Sharif, delegation-level bilateral talks were held.
According to the ISPR, issues of mutual interest, regional security and measures to enhance bilateral defence collaboration were discussed during the meeting.
Earlier on arrival at GHQ, a smartly turned out contingent presented a guard of honour to the Chinese minister, who laid floral wreath at Yadgar-i-Shuhada and paid tribute to the sacrifices of Pakistan Army for peace and stability in the region.