Pakistan, Malaysia reaffirm defence ties as joint counter-terrorism exercise Harimau Markhor-IV concludes

Pakistan and Malaysia on Thursday reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation as a joint military exercise between the two countries concluded at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Pabbi, Nowshera district.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Exercise Harimau Markhor-IV, the fourth edition of the bilateral counter-terrorism exercise between the two armies, concluded at the NCTC.

“The two-week-long exercise focused on sharing counter-terrorism experiences, refining operational drills and procedures, and enhancing combat skills through exchange of best practices,” the statement said.

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It added that the exercise reaffirmed the longstanding military cooperation between the two countries and their shared resolve to strengthen collaboration in the counter-terrorism domain.

Separately, the 16th meeting of the Pakistan-Malaysia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) was held earlier today, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthen bilateral defence and security cooperation further.

Both sides reviewed progress made since the previous meeting in 2025 and discussed matters of mutual interest, according to a statement.

The meeting was held at the Malaysian Ministry of Defence, where the Pakistani delegation was led by Secretary Defence Lieutenant General (retired) Muhammad Ali, while the Malaysian delegation was headed by Deputy Secretary General (policy) Mohd Yani bin Daud.

During the plenary session, the delegations reviewed progress since the 2025 JCDC meeting in Malaysia, appreciated recent achievements and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence and security ties.

Pakistan and Malaysia have longstanding ties dating back to 1957, when Malaysia gained independence on Aug 31. Pakistan was among the earliest countries to recognise Malaysia as a nation and also helped in drafting its constitution. The two countries have since maintained close ties.

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Last year, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Malaysia, the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in defence, trade and emerging technologies, while Kuala Lumpur also agreed to import $200 million worth of meat from Pakistan.

The two countries are also bound by the Malaysia-Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement, signed in 2007, which promotes trade in goods and services, regulates investment flows and supports cooperation in intellectual property, healthcare, telecommunications, tourism and construction.