Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa thank US for flood relief assistance.
Says assistance is vital for rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims.
ISPR issues press release about army chief’s recent meetings with top US officials.
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that the assistance from Pakistan’s “global partners would be vital for the rescue and rehabilitation” of flood victims, the military’s media wing said.
According to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday, the army chief called on US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, National Security Adviser Jacob Sullivan, and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during his visit to the United States.
Matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed during the meetings, the ISPR said.
General Bajwa thanked the US officials for their support for the flood relief in Pakistan.
Both sides agreed that Pakistan and the US had a long history of bilateral cooperation and both countries shall continue to improve their economic and trade ties apart from looking for investment avenues.
General Bajwa also offered heartfelt condolence on the deaths and devastation in the US state of Florida due to Hurricane Ian, the statement said. Pakistan fully understands the loss and pain of families as the country itself is facing drastic effects of climate change, added the statement.
“Both sides had convergence on major international issues including Afghanistan and need for cooperation to avoid humanitarian crisis and improving peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.
The US department of defence, in a readout, simply said that Austin’s meeting with the army chief was held “during the 75th anniversary of relations between the United States and Pakistan”.
“This long-standing partnership continues today with discussions focused on opportunities to address key mutual defense interests,” said readout.
General Bajwa held these scheduled meetings with senior officials of the Biden administration as he began the second leg of his US visit yesterday.
The army chief arrived in the US on September 30 and met with the UN officials in New York.
General Bajwa is heading a delegation that will stay in the US for another couple of days, diplomatic sources said, terming the visit an important one that portrayed “robust relations” between the two countries.
The deaths of four Pakistanis in a boat capsizing event close to the southern Greek island of Goudos have been verified by the Foreign Office.
The incident happened on Sunday and at least five illegal immigrants drowned as a result. According to Greek Coast Guards, 39 people were rescued after the wooden boat overturned, but 40 more are still unaccounted for.
According to a Foreign Office spokeswoman, the four Pakistani nationals were among those killed in the catastrophe. In order to help the remaining Pakistanis and repatriate the corpses of the deceased, the Pakistani Embassy in Athens has been in close communication with Greek authorities, she said.
Additional information was given by Aamir Aftab Qureshi, Pakistan’s ambassador to Greece, during a press conference. According to him, there were 80 Pakistanis on board the doomed boat, and efforts are still being made to find the people who are still missing.
He added that the overcrowding on the boat was a factor in the capsizing. There are worries over the safety of the missing people because a sizable portion of them are children. He stated that five boats carrying Pakistani nationals were traveling illegally from Libya.
The public was also informed by Ambassador Qureshi that the government will pay for the return flight of the accident victims’ bodies.
Approximately 450 Pakistanis, including 250 Zaireen, have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to the spokesperson for the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.
During her weekly briefing at the foreign office in Islamabad, she stated that Pakistan is pleased with the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on the Gaza Strip, which calls for an immediate ceasefire.
In addition, she expressed her satisfaction with the elimination of limits placed on UNRWA’s ability to carry out relief activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
It was stated by her that Pakistan is demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Palestine, an end to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for those who are in urgent need, full support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its mandated humanitarian activities, and medical assistance for those who are in urgent need.
Moreover, she stated that Pakistan emphasises the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that it has committed in occupied lands.
The Israeli aggression against Syria, the illegitimate acquisition of Syrian territory, and the massive devastation of Syrian infrastructure as well as civilian and military sites are all topics that Pakistan is extremely worried about, according to the spokesperson for Pakistan.
According to her, this attack on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a serious violation of international law to the highest degree. By expressing our support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are also expressing our opposition to the Israeli government’s attempt to acquire territory through coercion.
The resolution 497 of the United Nations Security Council, which declares the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel to be null and illegal and to have no international legal impact, was reaffirmed by her organisation.