Naval chief visits US to boost maritime cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited the United States as part of ongoing efforts to further strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation and defence engagements, the Pakistan Navy spokesman said in a statement on Thursday.

During the visit, the naval chief called on US Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Admiral Yvette Davids and Acting Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thomas G. Allan Jr. Matters of professional interest, regional security dynamics and avenues for professional training and maritime cooperation were discussed during the meetings.

Admiral Naveed Ashraf also visited the National Defense University (NDU) and met its President Vice Admiral Peter A. Garvin.

At the US State Department, the Admiral met Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Stanley L. Brown. The engagements included deliberations on politico-military cooperation, maritime security, capacity-building initiatives and shared maritime interests.

The naval chief also addressed a gathering of US scholars and think-tank experts, highlighting regional maritime security challenges and the Pakistan Navy’s contributions to collaborative maritime efforts.