Six Afghan National Army cadets arrived in Islamabad Thursday to join Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) at Abbottabad for an 18-month long course in a sign of growing military-to-military contacts, the Afghan embassy said. This is the first ever group of Afghan National Army cadets that will attend the PMA. Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai, welcomed the cadets at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad upon their arrival from Kabul.
"These six young cadets, selected from among the best in Afghan National Army, represent the steady and solid quantitative as well as qualitative growth and development of Afghanistan's national security and defence forces over the past decade. They take great pride in providing security to the Afghan people and defending the country against external threats, and who in return enjoy the strong backing and support of the entire Afghan nation" said Ambassador Mosazai.
The arrival of the six Afghan cadets coincides with a six-day visit to Pakistan by a high-level five-member Afghan military delegation led by Major General Nematullah Khushiwal, Director General of Training, Education and Doctrine, Afghan National Army. "The induction of these young Afghan cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy is an important step in both countries' efforts to strengthen, broaden and deepen security and particularly military-to-military relations and co-operation in all areas," the Afghan ambassador said.
Ambassador Mosazai wished the cadets success in their rigorous training at PMA over the next year and a half. Highlighting their role as ambassadors of their country in their own individual right, Ambassador Mosazaiasked the cadets to establish close and long-lasting ties of professional and personal friendship with their Pakistani counterparts as well as with students from other friendly countries attending PMA. Former President Hamid Karzai had long opposed Afghan forces training in Pakistan in spite of Pakistan's repeated requests. Army Chief General Raheel Sharif had offered training to Afghan forces during his visits to Kabul.
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