Arab–Pakistan relations
Arab League |
Pakistan |
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Arab-Pakistan relations refer to foreign relations between Pakistan and the various states of the Arab world which constitute the Arab League.
Background
Army, Naval and Air Force cadets from many of the Arab League countries routinely enroll in training courses in Pakistan's well-recognized military academies while Pakistan Air Force pilots have flown Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian and Saudi fighter jets in both wars (1967 & 1973 against Israel) & peacetime as part of their 'foreign deployments'.[2] Units from the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force also serve allotted time periods in their respective fields in Saudi Arabia and UAE as instructors, maintenance crews, etc. while there are strong indications that a company of Elite Pakistani Commandos, the SSG maintains a permanent unit in Saudi Arabia to safeguard Islam's holiest sites as well as the Saudi Royal Family. Much of the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Army is made up of Pakistani military personnel.
In 2007 Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf attended the Arab League summit held in Riyadh even though Pakistan had not yet gained 'Observer Member' status. Pakistan is currently in the stages of finalizing a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC countries, many of whom are also part of the Arab League while talks continue to grant Pakistan the 'Observer' status in the coming months. The country also has a history of being an ardent supporter of several Arab causes, including Palestine.
See also
- Foreign relations of the Arab League
- Pakistan-OIC relations
- Iran–Pakistan relations
- Pakistan–Turkey relations
References
- ^ "Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Ties". Middle East Progress. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
- ^ "Scramble". Scramble. Archived from the original on 17 December 2001. Retrieved 13 July 2014.