PM stresses cooperation among international navies for secure environment
KARACHI: The four-day multinational naval exercises ‘Aman 2017’ began in Karachi on Friday, officials said. A total of 36 countries including Australia, China, Indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, UK, USA, Japan and Russia are participating in the exercise, the commander of Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Arifullah Hussaini said at the inaugural session.
The exercises are aimed at devising procedures and techniques against conventional and non- conventional threats. Hussaini said that the exercise will help in competing human trafficking, smuggling of narcotics and terrorism in the region. He said that Pak Navy has played a vital role in the region to ensure safe passage for cargo ships. Officials say that 15 Ships along with two P3C Orion aircraft, five helicopters, 11 Special Operation Forces/EOD teams are also important modules of the exercise. Russian ships are participating in the exercises for the first time amid a thaw the relationship between the two rivals of the cold-war era. In September Russian troops took part in two-week military exercise, the first ever exercises between the two countries.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a message on the opening of the exercises said Pakistan being a major stakeholder in maritime security of Arabian Sea is fully committed to ensuring freedom of navigation and lawful maritime order.
“The maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean are both multidimensional and multifaceted. Threats like maritime terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy have acquired international dimensions,” he said.
The Prime Minister said cooperation between international navies is imperative to counter these emerging threats. Nawaz Sharif used his message to underscore the importance of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“Pakistan’s geo-strategic prominence capitalized with the launching of CPEC project will become a ‘Game Changer’ for the region. This mega project offers multitude of regional and trans-regional economic prospects especially in the maritime sphere,” he said.
He said the maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean are both multidimensional and multifaceted and threats like maritime terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy have acquired international dimensions.
He said Pakistan being a major stakeholder in maritime security of Arabian Sea is fully committed to ensuring freedom of navigation and lawful maritime order. He said he is confident that AMAN-17 will be a big stride towards this direction.
The PM extended his gratitude to the participating navies for joining us at AMAN-17 in such large numbers. He appreciated the enthusiastic and vigorous efforts of Pakistan Navy for successfully organizing Aman series of Exercises since 2007.
The Prime Minister thanked all participating Countries for taking part in this endeavour of readiness for the promotion of peace. NNI
