‘Pak Navy ready to cope with internal, external challenges’

ISLAMABAD: Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of the Naval Staff, has expressed utmost satisfaction with combat readiness of Pak Navy to cope with all external and internal challenges. He was addressing a concluding session of the recently conducted Pakistan Navy’s major maritime exercise--SEASPARK 2018-- was held in Karachi.

The exercise conducted in North Arabian Sea involved all Pakistan Navy units, including ships, submarines and aircraft along with Special Forces and Marines. Additionally, PMSA, PAF and Pak Army Air Defence elements also participated in the exercise.

The naval chief appreciated the professionalism displayed during the exercise and expressed satisfaction with the overall conduct of the exercise. He urged upon all to regard this concluding session as a start to the follow-up proceedings which should lead to comprehensive review of PN operational plans by all commands.

He said that the contemporary challenges, having the dimensions of hybrid warfare, entail sharp vigilance and constant review of Pak Navy’s operational plans through extensive war gaming and brain storming.

The concluding session was attended by a large number of high ranking officers from the three services, including reps from various ministries. Rear Admiral Faisal Rasul Lodhi, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations), presented an overview of the exercise. Subsequently, an exhaustive de-brief of the exercise was held in which all aspects were discussed threadbare to draw pertinent lessons from the conduct of exercise.

Contemporary geostrategic environment necessitates adroit response by the PN in peace and war. In this context, the exercise was aimed to assess the combat readiness and operational preparedness of the Pakistan Navy to meet the entire spectrum of national security challenges, in the maritime domains.

Another objective was to validate and consolidate various operational concepts. The exercise also afforded valuable opportunity to harness professional combat skills of Pak Navy’s units to achieve synergy is effects.