ISLAMABAD, July 15: Pakistan is participating in the military exercises organised by US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), it is learnt. DG Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan told Dawn that Pakistani officials have proceeded to the US to participate in the exercises. Sources said the US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) supported Regional Cooperation (RC 05) exercise for the South and Central Asian States (SCAS), being held from July 14-27, at the Joint Warfighting Centre (JWFC), Suffolk, VA, USA.

RC 05 objectives are to improve interoperability, strengthen relationships and regional cooperation, increase knowledge and understanding of regional forces operating in a multinational environment, and improve the training levels of participating staff and coordination agencies.

Participants in the exercise, including USCENTCOM, USARCENT, USJFCOM, Massachusetts Army National Guard, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Turkmenistan, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations have sent observers.

The exercise is focussed on border security, counter terrorism, information-sharing, military decision-making processes, command and control, and terrorist attack consequence management techniques.