CDF Munir, Maldives parliament speaker discuss bilateral cooperation and regional security

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Maldives for the “mutual benefit of both countries” during a meeting with Speaker of the People’s Majlis Abdul Raheem Abdullah in Rawalpindi, the military's media wing said on Thursday. Raheem Abdulla was on a five-day visit to Pakistan at the invitation of National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. His programme included meetings with political leaders, interactions with the Pakistan-Maldives Parliamentary Friendship Group and visits to historical and cultural landmarks in Islamabad. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the CDF Munir underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to its “brotherly relations” with the Maldives. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security and bilateral cooperation, during the meeting at General Headquarters (GHQ). Raheem Abdullah “appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability” and said he wanted to deepen bilateral engagement and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest, according to the ISPR. Read: Pakistan, Maldives agree to boost parliamentary cooperation On September 17, Abdullah met Sadiq, with the two sides agreeing to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people contacts. Sadiq had stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in promoting peace and development in the region, while saying sustainable peace could not be achieved without resolving the issues of Palestine and Kashmir. He had also warned that the Israel-India nexus posed a “serious threat” to regional and global peace. Raheem Abdullah had praised Pakistan’s “clear and consistent” stance on Palestine and Kashmir and reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to expanding legislative and institutional cooperation with Islamabad.