Egypt’s Sisi, Pakistani general discuss military ties

By Viola Fahmi

CAIRO (AA) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday met with Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee's Chairman Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat to discuss military cooperation and the fight against terrorism, according to a statement issued by al-Sisi’s office.

Held in Cairo, the meeting was also attended by Egyptian Defense Minister Sedki Sobhy and Pakistani Ambassador to Egypt Mushtaq Ali Shah.

According to the statement, the meeting tackled “means of consolidating bilateral military cooperation and advancing mutual efforts to bolster regional and international peace and security and combatting terrorism”.

The two sides also reportedly reviewed the latest political developments in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world.

Both sides also stressed the need to “redouble efforts to correct religious discourse with a view to thwarting attempts by terrorist groups… to achieve political goals”, according to the statement.

“Egypt’s stability is indispensable to the stability of the region, in which Pakistan has a deep interest,” the statement quoted al-Sisi as saying.

Cairo and Islamabad have maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1948. Egypt was the first Middle Eastern country to open an embassy in Pakistan after the latter became independent in 1947.