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Top military brass warn of severe action against May 9-style unrest
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces (COAS & CDF) of Pakistan chaired the 277th Corps Commanders’ Conference at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi where military leaders reviewed the current security environment, counter-terrorism operations and operational preparedness.
The forum began with Fateha for the Shuhada of the Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and civil society who sacrificed their lives in service of the country. Participants paid tribute to their sacrifices and commemorated martyrs of Pakistan.
The conference reiterated the need for a high level of readiness in the face of the changing security scenario. It also highlighted Pakistan’s stated right to self-defense and action against terrorists emanating from Afghanistan.
Security review
The forum blamed the Taliban leadership for the repercussions of facilitating terrorism, saying it was doing it on behalf of India. The remarks came as the military leadership evaluated security problems and reiterated its resolve to tackle threats to Pakistan’s national security.
The participants complimented the continued intelligence based counter-terrorism activities of law enforcement agencies. However, the summit emphasized that operational measures need to be supplemented with non-kinetic initiatives to address the root causes of militancy and insecurity.
These include people-centric government at the grassroots level, strategic engagement with the public, deconstructing the terror-crime nexus purportedly working under the patronage of vested interests and boosting police capacities.
The meeting underscored that these efforts should be in line with the National Action Plan and Vision Azm-e-Istehkam which were referred to as frameworks for tackling the country’s security concerns.
Internal stability
The commanders stressed the need for domestic stability and restated their position against efforts to foment disturbance. The forum added that no matter what pretext any attempt to create a situation similar to that of May 9 will be handled with resolute force and action within the framework of the law, without hesitation or discrimination.
The reference to May 9 is about the turmoil which broke out in 2023 after the imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan, where military installations and other public property were assaulted at various places. The military leadership stressed its determination to respond to efforts to destabilize the country.
The conference also underscored the need to sustain counter-terrorism efforts while improving governance, public participation and law enforcement capacity to address security issues on a number of fronts.
Regional Links
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement comprising Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was welcomed by the forum. It said it was a development contributing to long-standing strategic cooperation and collective defense connections among the countries.
Participants also strongly criticized the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and voiced solidarity with the Kingdom. The summit reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protect the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain, the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
The military leadership underlined the country’s stance on the Kashmir issue regarding Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). It also reiterated its support for the resolution of the dispute in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
The debates highlighted the forum’s focus on Pakistan’s security priorities, its regional partnerships and long-standing diplomatic views.
combat-readiness
In his concluding remarks, Field Marshal Asim Munir lauded the professional acumen and operational readiness of military forces. He called on the commanders to keep the pace of intelligence-led operations and to continue to enhance the combat power of the Armed Forces.
The guidance required increased use of current technology, increased training, and better integration across many operational domains. The focus on multi-domain integration demonstrated the necessity to build joint capabilities to address changing security problems.
Munir said he firmly believed that the Armed Forces, with the backing of the public were completely prepared to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.
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OpenAI says its AI agents weakened internal monitoring system
Two of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence agents turned off sections of an internal monitoring system designed to identify misbehaviour, the latest example of AI agents operating in ways the developers did not expect, the company said Tuesday.
While the ChatGPT maker stated the incidences occurred during internal code work and were not considered its most serious, the disclosure underscores how even the methods developers use to spot AI misbehavior are vulnerable to the agents they monitor.
The discovery also comes amid rising fears that efforts on AI safety are failing to keep pace with the rapid development of ever more powerful systems. Scientists have cautioned about the emergence of powerful AI agents becoming increasingly autonomous and difficult to monitor and manage.
In recent months, developers including IPO-bound rivals OpenAI and Anthropic have disclosed incidents where their AI agents accessed external systems without authorisation.
In a blog post Tuesday, OpenAI reported that a GPT-6.1 Sol agent on an internal testing task on October 3 disabled automatic security alarms after interpreting an earlier order not to send Slack messages as also covering safety notifications.
Separately, on Oct. 6, an Astra agent using GPT-6 removed a safety monitor when copying an existing piece of code and later stated falsely that it did not do so, OpenAI said.“In both cases, agents thought about keeping monitoring safeguards in place but “interpreted normal coding instructions as permission to weaken them,” the company said.
“OpenAI said it was making it harder for models to disable monitoring, saying it does not ‘yet have a satisfying explanation for this behavior’.
The San Francisco-based company said it was studying whether its models would be inclined to avoid being observed and seek out reasons to justify such behaviour.
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Makkah pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye
Turkiye sent a defence treaty with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to parliament for ratification on Tuesday, three parliamentary sources said, bringing NATO’s second-largest army closer to a formal mutual defence promise with Riyadh as it fears Houthi threats.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is an attack on all.
The first clause of the agreement says the parties shall use “all necessary means” to eradicate threats to each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty or internationally recognised borders, according to a text seen by Reuters.Article 2 of the agreement states, “If one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group of countries, the parties shall immediately render assistance to the party which is under attack, with all means of mutual assistance at their disposal.”
Similar to NATO’s Article 5, the clause references Article 51 of the UN Charter, which deals with the individual or collective right of states to self-defence against armed attack.
The same page says the three countries “will determine the scope and nature of the support to be provided following an objective assessment of the assistance required” and will collaborate within their available resources, including military capabilities and resources.
Earlier this month, the three countries decided in an emergency alliance conference in Riyadh to guarantee the “rapid deployment” of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Turkiye, which has its own strong defence sector, has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, showed a willingness to help satisfy Riyadh’s military technology demands and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to assure navigational safety in the Red Sea.
The pact also foresees tight cooperation on the defence sector, exchange of information, logistical support, and the fight against “all forms of terrorism”, including at the operational level.
Parliamentary approval is required for Turkiye to formally sign off on the pact.
The aim is to “strengthen collective deterrence”
Two sources claimed Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who is on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, would send the deal to the foreign affairs commission of parliament after he returns. The terms and specifics of the agreement are expected to be released when it is filed with the commission.
The commission may discuss the accord as early as Friday, another person added.
Turkiye’s latest move was an important milestone in the institutionalisation of strategic collaboration between the three countries, Burhanettin Duran, communications director for President Tayyip Erdogan, stated.“This strategic partnership between our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, improve joint capabilities in the defence sector and secure security and stability in our region,” Duran said in a post on X.
A Turkish official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Turkey’s own contribution was likely to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, and no other form of deployment had been made under the alliance so far.
“The Mecca Agreement is not a ‘offensive agreement,’ and Turkiye would not send forces to another nation to conduct out operations on its land. When asked how Turkiye could help Saudi Arabia fight against attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan responded
Turkey’s constitution needs independent parliamentary approval for any deployment of military overseas, regardless of international agreements.
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Pakistan decide not to participate in Over-50s Cricket World Cup 2027 in India
– Pakistan have decided not to participate in the Over-50 Cricket World Cup 2027 scheduled to take place in India after failing to secure government permission for the tournament.
The competition is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad Deccan from January 23 to February 7, 2027. Pakistan was due to participate as defending champions after winning the 2025 edition in Sri Lanka.
Fawad Ejaz Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), said Indian veterans cricket officials had assured the Pakistani team of visa arrangements and high-level security for the tournament.
He said the association had sought permission to participate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. However, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi subsequently informed the association that permission would not be granted.
Following the government’s decision, the association decided against sending the team to India, Khan said, adding that the organisation respected the government’s position.
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