‘Effective strategy’ needed to meet Indian Ocean security challenges: Asif

A day earlier, Adviser on Foreign Affairs expressed Pakistan’s concern over nuclearisation of Indian Ocean


News Desk February 13, 2017
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office in Islamabad March 6, 2014. PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, on Monday, underlined the need for chalking out an “effective strategy” to meet security challenges in the Indian Ocean, Radio Pakistan reported.

A day earlier, Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz expressed Pakistan’s concern over nuclearisation of the Indian Ocean and said that Pakistan would take every measure to counter growing threats to peace in the area.

Addressing the concluding session of the 7th International Maritime Conference in Karachi, Asif said: “Boost in international trade in the Indian Ocean has underlined the need for an effective strategy to overcome security challenges.”

Greater maritime link urged among nations in the Indian Ocean

“In modern times, security of the Indian Ocean has become more important,” he said and added, “There exist challenges of pirates, human smuggling and other menaces in the ocean.”

Asif lauded the multinational naval exercise ‘AMAN 2017’ that has been continuing in the Arabian Sea.

The conference was organised by the National Center for Maritime Policy Research (NCMPR) and the Bahria University.

Meanwhile, the Aman-2017 naval exercise that began on Friday will feature counter-terrorism skills along with a performance of military bands.

AMAN-17 naval exercise begins in the Arabian Sea

Also, Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah also visited the ships of foreign navies participating in the naval exercise on Sunday.

He was welcomed by senior officers, task group commanders and commanding officers of the ships and was presented with a guard of honour.

The naval chief visited participating ships of Australia, China, Indonesia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

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