Pakistan appears set to host a joint anti-terrorism exercise later this year, according to the Regional Anti-Terror structure (RATS) of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
SCO, an economic and security bloc, has China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its founding members. India and Pakistan became members of the grouping in 2017.
Sources in India’s defence ministry were tight-lipped about the development. They did not deny it, but said a “final decision about India’s participation” was yet to be taken.
The decision to hold the joint exercise, “Pabbi-Anti Terror-21”, was announced by RATS. The dates have not been finalised yet.
“On 23-24 February, 2021, the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan visited the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Tashkent),” RATS said in a press note.
The press note said the executive committee of RATS SCO “highly appreciated” the contribution of Pakistan’s anti-terrorist agencies for strengthening cooperation between SCO member states “in the field of countering terrorism, separatism and extremism”. It added that a joint meeting was held on the preparation of a “Joint Anti-terrorist Exercise (JATE) of the SCO member states in 2021”.
“Pakistani side presented preliminary information on the design and preparation of JATE “Pabbi-Antiterror-2021”. The meeting had constructive dialogue and exchange of views on the issues and identified further measures on preparation of the planned joint activities,” the press note said.
Pabbi is in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and is the base of its National Counter Terror Centre. It is two and half hours from Abbottabad, where Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011.
The development came about a month after India opened its airspace for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Sri Lanka. Then the two countries also agreed to observe a ceasefire at the Line of Control from February 25. Last week Gen Qamar Bajwa, Pakistan’s army chief, spoke of “burying the past and moving on”, sparking hopes of a new beginning. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Khan, who has contracted Covid-19, speedy recovery.
The ties between the neighbours had hit a new low after India blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for a suicide attack on a security convoy in south Kashmir’s Pulwama. At least 40 securitymen were killed in the brazen strike in February 2019.
Tensions spiralled further after the Indian Air Force (IAF) targeted a Jaish camp deep inside Pakistani territory on February 26, and next day’s dogfight between fighter jets of the two sides added fuel to fire.
If India finally participates, it will also be its first joint exercise with China since their standoff in eastern Ladakh began 11 months ago.
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