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ISLAMABAD: A series of coordinated anti-smuggling operations by Pakistan&rsquo;s naval and customs authorities has disrupted illicit trafficking across maritime and land routes, seizing hashish, smuggled mobile phones, vehicles, and other contraband worth millions of dollars, according to official statements. &ldquo;This successful interdiction at sea underscores Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s unwavering commitment to combating illicit activities and ensuring security in the maritime domain,&rdquo; the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Sunday. The Pakistan Navy reported that its ship YAMAMA, deployed on a Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP) in the Arabian Sea, intercepted and seized 1,500 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately $3 million. According to ISPR, the operation highlights the Navy&rsquo;s role in collaborative maritime security efforts with regional and international partners. Meanwhile, Customs Enforcement Karachi conducted an intelligence-driven land operation near the Karachi-Hyderabad Toll Plaza, recovering 564 high-end smuggled mobile phones and a tampered Toyota Land Cruiser Prado worth a combined Rs96 million ($342,591). The Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Karachi noted that specially created cavities concealed the mobile phones and confirmed the vehicle was non-duty paid. An FIR has been registered, and investigations into the smuggling network are ongoing. Similarly, the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Peshawar foiled multiple smuggling attempts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seizing goods valued at Rs74.4 million ($265,354). The operations included the interception of three trucks carrying 12,200 kg of betel nuts, 4,021 sleeves of foreign cigarettes, and 170 tyres, alongside non-duty-paid cosmetics and vehicles such as a Toyota Vitz and Toyota Aqua. The Anti-Smuggling Directorate in Nowshera also confiscated a JAC Pickup loaded with 2,000 sleeves of smuggled cigarettes. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) emphasized that these operations reaffirm Pakistan Customs&rsquo; commitment to curbing smuggling and protecting the national economy. &ldquo;These coordinated efforts across sea and land routes demonstrate a robust, intelligence-driven approach to safeguarding Pakistan&rsquo;s borders and maritime interests,&rdquo; the FBR said.

Pakistan Navy ship YAMAMA seized 1,500 kg of hashish worth about US $3 million in a successful anti-narcotics operation in the Arabian Sea. (ISPR)

Security

From the Arabian Sea to highways in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s multi-agency operations this week underscore an integrated approach to anti-smuggling enforcement, blending naval vigilance with customs intelligence.

Pakistan forces seize millions in drugs, smuggled goods across sea and land

ISLAMABAD: In the recent round of developments in defense cooperation between the two countries, the naval chiefs of Pakistan and Bangladesh have reaffirmed &ldquo;joint commitment to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s defense ties with Bangladesh have seen steady progress since the ouster of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, bringing an end to Indian influence in Dhaka. Stability in Indian Ocean&nbsp;A post on X on Sunday by Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s Director General Public Relations (DGPR) stated: &ldquo;Pakistan and Bangladesh Naval Chiefs reaffirm enduring cooperation and joint commitment to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 719px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1987516345513296120&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to a Bangladesh Navy&rsquo;s post on X, &ldquo;Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff, Pakistan paid homage at Shikha Anirban&rdquo; &ndash; a Dhaka memorial.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1987439583597101553&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1987439583597101553"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan Navy ship arrives in Bangladesh&nbsp;Pakistan Navy Ship &quot;PNS SAIF&quot; arrived in Bangladesh on a four-day goodwill visit on November 8, according to a Bangladesh Navy&#39;s post on X. Pakistan Navy Ship PNS SAIF, commanded by Captain Shujaat Abbas Raja, arrived at Chattogram Port, it said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1987087001699647716&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Not &lsquo;India&rsquo;s Ocean&rsquo;&nbsp;At a conference organized by an Islamabad-based think tank, CISS last year, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, General (retired) Zubair Mehmood Hayat, famously, said that as far as Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is concerned, India is the &ldquo;elephant in the room&rdquo;, adding that Pakistan has always maintained that this is &quot;Indian Ocean&quot; and not &quot;India&rsquo;s Ocean&quot;. A report published by Islamabad-based think tank, ISSI, titled &quot;Indian Initiatives for Maritime Dominance: Pakistan&#39;s Options and Response&quot;, states that &quot;as the growing power of Asia, India is determined to establish itself as a regional hegemonic player. For that, it requires a greater role in the Indian Ocean Region.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;In this regard, India has not only made investments in key areas across the Indian Ocean, but is also making alliances in the Pacific region.&quot; &quot;In this scenario, Pakistan has to explore new options to maintain its presence in the Indian Ocean. The alliance with Chinese is one such step, but the scope needs to be broadened,&quot; the report says. India-Pakistan conflict&nbsp;During the conflict with India in May this year, the Pakistan Navy monitored the movement of INS Vikrant, which had been deployed to a location 400 nautical miles from Karachi. However, it later retreated closer to Mumbai, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.&nbsp;Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s Coastal Command units were also deployed to safeguard the creek areas. Meeting with Bangladesh army chief&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s naval chief also held a meeting with the chief of army staff of Bangladesh on Sunday. According to a post on social media platform X by Bangladesh Army: &ldquo;A delegation led by Chief of Naval Staff, Pakistan Navy Admiral Naveed Ashraf paid a courtesy call on with the Chief of Army Staff at the Army Headquarters today.&rdquo; &ldquo;In addition to exchanging mutual greetings, they discussed about strengthening defence cooperation between two countries and enhancing military capabilities of both forces. They also exchanged views on the prospects of expanding military cooperations through bilateral military training, seminars, and visits.&rdquo; &ldquo;Admiral Naveed Ashraf highly praised the professionalism of the Bangladeshi participants in the joint exercise AMAN, held in Karachi and North Arabian Sea in February 2025,&rdquo; the post stated.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1987461320048771472&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&lsquo;Positive trajectory&rsquo;&nbsp;Pakistan-Bangladesh defense ties are on a &ldquo;positive trajectory&rdquo;, especially this year. Pakistan&rsquo;s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, called on Bangladesh&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman at Army Headquarters, Dhaka, in October, according to Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). &ldquo;During the meeting, both sides appreciated the positive trajectory of expanding defence cooperation between the two countries and agreed to maintain regular exchange visits at various tiers of military leadership,&rdquo; the ISPR said. MoUs signed&nbsp;Pakistan and Bangladesh have signed a number of MoUs during a recent visit of Pakistan&#39;s foreign minister to Dhaka. Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, in an August 25 post on X, announced at the conclusion of a 36-hour visit to Bangladesh the signing of the following: &ldquo;i) Agreement on Visa Abolition for Diplomatic &amp; Official Passport Holders of both countries;ii) MoU between Foreign Service Academies of the two countries; &nbsp;iii) MoU between Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation &amp; Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha;iv) MoU between Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad &amp; Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies;v) MoU on Establishment of Joint Working Group on Trade; andvi) Cultural Exchange Programme (2025&ndash;2028).&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 344px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1959693443162394753&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>AMAN Dialogue&nbsp;Earlier, in February this year, the Bangladeshi chief of naval staff visited Pakistan to participate in the AMAN Dialogue. A DGPR&rsquo;s post on X on February 7, 2025, stated: &ldquo;CNS of Bangladesh Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan called on CNS Admiral Naveed Ashraf at NHQ. Visiting dignitary will participate in AMAN Dialogue, being conducted alongside multinational maritime exercise AMAN-25. Visiting CNS was presented guard of honour.&rdquo; &ldquo;Afterwards; matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security environment &amp; prospects for enhanced bilateral naval collaboration were discussed. Avenues of cooperation, training, exchange of visits &amp; bilateral naval exercises were also discussed.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1887864837767635222&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7811d5ec620e040f4fb02ffe0323edb3a44922d3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Moreover, according to a January 19, 2025, post on X by the DGPR, &ldquo;Lt Gen SM Kamrul Hassan, PSO of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, visited PN units in Khi.&rdquo; &ldquo;He called on Cdr Pak Fleet R/Adm Abdul Munib, Cdr Coast R/Adm Faisal Amin &amp; MD KS&amp;EW R/Adm Salman Ilyas. Matters of mutual interest &amp; enhanced bilateral naval collab were discussed,&rdquo; it said.

Pakistan and Bangladesh have strengthened defense ties in 2025 through naval visits, military meetings, and the signing of MoUs; the two countries have reaffirmed their commitment to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean. 

Articles tagged with "Navy"

Pakistan forces seize millions in drugs, smuggled goods across sea and land

Pakistan, Bangladesh reaffirm commitment to peace in Indian Ocean