RAWALPINDI – A Pakistan army contingent will be stationed in Saudi Arabiaon a “training and advisory mission”, the Inter-Services Public Relations(ISPR) announced on Thursday.

The contingent will join Pakistani troops that are already stationed inSaudi Arabia and “will not be deployed outside the Kingdom”, the ISPRstatement read.

The statement followed a meeting between Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador, NawafSaeed Al-Maliki, and Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa earlier inthe day at General Headquarters Rawalpindi.

During their meeting, Gen Bajwa and Al-Maliki discussed matters of “mutualinterest”, including the regional security situation, the ISPR pressstatement added.

Pakistan already has around 1,180 troops in Saudi Arabia under a 1982bilateral agreement. The deployed troops are mostly serving in training andadvisory roles, according to a report.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share strong military ties. Pakistan is oneof the 41 members of the Saudi-led Islamic Military Counter TerrorismCoalition (IMCTC) that is being headed by a former army chief, the retiredGen Raheel Sharif. The military alliance was formally launched by SaudiArabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman last year.

On Thursday, the Saudi-Pakistani Joint Naval Exercises (Naseem Al-Bahr-11)between the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the Pakistan Navy in the water ofthe Arab Gulf at King Abdulaziz Naval Base of the Eastern Fleet concluded.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted Admiral Lafi bin Hussein Al-Harbi, Commanderof the Joint Naval Exercises, as saying that these maneuvers came withindefense cooperation between the two countries.