The Pakistan Air Force Chief (PAF), Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, has assured the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of the Pakistan Air Force’s commitment towards strengthening the strategic partnership with the NAF.
Anwar Khan assured NAF of full cooperation in terms of equipment and spares acquisition, research and development as well as training, amongst others, to further enhance professionalism and build needed capacity for the effective and efficient employment of airpower in the ongoing fight against insurgency and other forms of criminality in Nigeria.
Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan in the statement released by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola on Tuesday 15th October 2019, made this known on 14 October 2019, during a courtesy visit to the NAF CAS, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, in Abuja.
In his remarks during the visit, Air Chief Marshal Anwar Khan expressed his appreciation to the NAF CAS for the warm reception accorded him and his team. He restated the commitment of the Pakistan Government to strengthen the existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Pakistan, which had spanned several decades and yielded several mutually beneficial military collaborations, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola stated.
He added that the PAF should be seen as a dependable partner that would continue to give maximum support to the NAF. He emphasized that the NAF and the Nigerian Armed Forces could benefit immensely from the experiences gained by Pakistan in the battling insurgency for over 2 decades to overcome the current security challenges facing Nigeria, noting that there were commonalities which could be shared for mutual benefit.
The PAF CAS also commended Air Marshal Abubakar for his visionary, focused and upright leadership while lauding NAF’s pivotal role in Counter-Insurgency (COIN) Operations in Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, Air Marshal Abubakar remarked that Twenty-First Century security challenges require strong collaboration and strategic partnerships to successfully overcome them. He noted that this was the kind of partnership the NAF had enjoyed over the years with the PAF.
He said the visit of the PAF CAS to HQ NAF was yet another strong demonstration of the PAF’s commitment this partnership between the 2 Countries and Air Forces. He noted