• PM Shehbaz says Jordanian royal’s visit reflects ‘enduring friendship, shared desire for peace’
• Army chief vows deeper military cooperation with Amman, ‘shared vision’ for regional stability
• President Zardari confers highest civilian award on visiting monarch, gesture reciprocated

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges on Sunday, where Pakistan staged an extensive display of firepower and operational readiness as part of the monarch’s official visit.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Field Marshal Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening military-to-military cooperation with Jordan and advancing a shared vision for a stable and peaceful region.

The ISPR said in a statement that the army chief underscored the “strong defence partnership” between Pakistan and the Hashemite Kingdom during Jordan’s King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein’s visit to the Tilla Field Firing Ranges near Jhelum.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the highest civil award on King Abdullah during a special investiture ceremony at the Presidency.

The Jordanian monarch, who arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a two-day official trip, also visited the Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS), the state-owned conglomerate that exports and markets military, industrial and technological products and services.

He was accompanied by Princess Salma bint Abdullah II and a delegation of senior Jordanian civil and military officials. The guests were received by Field Marshal Munir and other senior officers.

The ISPR said King Abdullah was given a detailed briefing on GIDS’ structure, capabilities and product portfolio. “The briefing showcased Pakistan’s progress in indigenous defence production, technological innovation and potential avenues for bilateral defence cooperation between Pakistan and Jordan,” it added.

Later, King Abdullah visited the Tilla Field Firing Ranges, where he was joined by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defence Industry Vugar Mustafayev was also among the distinguished guests.

The visitors observed a joint fire and manoeuvre exercise showcasing multi-domain operations, including conventional and air firepower, coordinated manoeuvres, spectrum warfare and the use of multi-purpose drones in various configurations and roles, the ISPR said.

“King Abdullah II appreciated the high standards of training, professionalism and operational preparedness demonstrated by the participating troops and aircrews,” it added.

PM Shehbaz expressed Pakistan’s “deep respect and affection” for the Jordanian king and the people of Jordan, saying the visit reflected “enduring friendship, mutual trust and a shared desire for peace and development”.

Earlier, King Abdullah conferred the Order of the Military Merit of First Degree upon the COAS “in recognition of his outstanding service and significant contributions” to strengthening military cooperation between Jordan and Pakistan, ISPR said.

The statement described the visit as “a signi­ficant milestone in reinforcing the historic bonds of fraternity and brotherhood” between the two nations.

Highest civilian award

Separately, Pakistan conferred the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civilian award, on King Abdullah II during a special investiture ceremony at the Presidency.

President Asif Ali Zardari presented the honour, after which King Abdullah awarded President Zardari the Order of the Bejewelled Grand Cordon of Al-Nahda, one of Jordan’s highest distinctions.

The citation for the award described King Abdullah as “a visionary leader and a statesman of exceptional calibre” whose commitment to moderation, justice and dialogue had earned global respect.

It praised Jordan’s emergence under his leadership as “a beacon of stability, tolerance and prosperity”, and noted his “unwavering advocacy” for a just settlement of the Palestinian question and efforts towards the Gaza peace agreement.

Stressing that the Jordanian king has been a “steadfast friend” of Pakistan, it said that by virtue of his personal engagement, relations between the two countries have been “significantly strengthened across diverse fields encompassing political and economic cooperation, defence collaboration, educational partnerships, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts”.

It added, “These developments serve to reinforce the enduring foundation of the historic friendship and brotherhood between the two nations, while concurrently fostering new avenues of cooperation.

“The people and government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan deeply value His Majesty King Abdullah II’s … commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and consistent solidarity with Pakistan.”

Hamid Asghar in Jhelum also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025