ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, has reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to strengthening maritime security cooperation with the United States, underscoring the two nations’ shared interest in regional stability and collaborative defense engagements.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Admiral Ashraf’s recent visit to the United States part of ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral naval and defense ties concluded last Friday. During the trip, the naval chief held a series of high-level meetings with senior US military officials, including Vice Admiral Yvette Davids, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and Vice Admiral Thomas G. Allan Jr., Acting Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard.
Matters of professional interest, regional security dynamics, and avenues for professional training and maritime cooperation were discussed, the ISPR said, highlighting the spirit of mutual respect and partnership that continues to define the Pakistan US naval relationship.
Admiral Ashraf also visited the National Defense University (NDU) at Fort Lesley J. McNair, where he met with the university’s president, Vice Admiral Peter A. Garvin. The meeting focused on politico-military cooperation, capacity-building, and shared maritime interests, particularly in the Indian Ocean region.
In Washington, the Pakistani naval chief met Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Stanley L. Brown, and later addressed an audience of US scholars and think-tank experts, outlining Pakistan Navy’s contributions to regional maritime security and multinational collaborative operations.
The ISPR noted that the visit reflects the enduring defense ties between Pakistan and the United States, reaffirming their mutual commitment to promoting maritime peace and stability.
The engagement comes as Islamabad and Washington experience a period of renewed diplomatic warmth. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir met US President Donald Trump, signaling a possible new phase in Pakistan US strategic relations.
The Pakistan Navy and US Navy share a long-standing maritime partnership, bolstered by recent engagements such as the USS Wayne E. Meyer’s visit to Karachi in September an event that further cemented the operational synergy between the two naval forces.