ISLAMABAD, 23 September 2021, (TON): The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on “a contingent of Pakistan Army participated in the opening ceremony of "Peace Mission" joint exercise under the ambit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) platform held at Donguz training area, Orenburg region in Russia.”

The military's media wing said that Colonel General Alexander Pavlovich Lapin, Commander of Central Military District Russian armed forces was the chief guest at the opening ceremony.

It added "troops from all Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states are participating in the exercise under extremely challenging field environment. Belarus is taking part in the exercise as an observer.”

ISPR said that a tri-services contingent of the Pakistan Army is participating in the military drills.

The exercise is focused on anti-terrorist operations and best practices in the counter-terrorism domain, it further said.

The joint exercises are seen as another step in growing military-to-military cooperation, indicating steady growth in the relationship between the two countries, whose ties had been marred by Cold War rivalry for decades.