Friendship 2016: Russian troops in Pakistan for first-ever joint military exercise
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt-General Asim Bajwa said that the contingent would be in Pakistan from September 24 to October 10.
In a first, the Russian forces arrived in Pakistan on Friday to participate in a joint military exercise. "A contingent of Russian ground forces arrived in Pakistan for first ever Pak- Russian joint exercise (two weeks) from September 24 to October 10," tweeted Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt-General Asim Bajwa.
The Express Tribune quoted Pakistan's Ambassador to Moscow Qazi Khalilullah as saying this is the first time that military personnel from the two countries would be taking part in joint military drills, otherwise called 'Friendship-2016'.
Khalilullah said that this development reflected increased cooperation between the two countries and "indicates a desire on both sides to broaden defence and military-technical cooperation."
The Russian troops will be in the country for two weeks from September 24 to October 10 and the drill is being seen as a step to strengthen military-to-military cooperation and bilateral relationship, which had been marred by Cold War rivalry for decades. A senior Pakistani official said that around 200 military personnel from the two sides would take part in the joint military exercise.