Guardians of the sea: PM Nawaz vows to boost maritime defence

Inaugurates new naval war college building

LAHORE:

Pakistan desires peace and tranquillity both within and outside its borders to meet much-needed socio-economic development goals, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday.

At the inauguration ceremony of the new building of Pakistan Naval War College (PNWC) in Lahore, Sharif said, “Pakistan will never compromise on its sovereignty. We cannot afford to be distracted in fulfilling our national objectives.”

The premier added the country is going through defining moments in its history as its armed forces battle extremism and militancy. He expressed hope the naval college would continue to foster relations with foreign militaries by training officers from friendly countries and spreading maritime awareness amongst academic circles.



Lauding Pakistan Navy’s role in defending the country, Sharif said a well-equipped navy is integral for the country’s security and economic prosperity. “Despite  resource constraints, the government will work towards strengthening Pakistan’s maritime defence,” he added.

The PM further said sea routes are the jugulars of world trade and any disruption in the waters had the potential to disrupt global economy and impact global security. “We must always remain cognizant of our effective role in the maritime affairs of this region.”

Appreciating the navy’s indigenous construction of warships, Sharif said he said he felt proud of the force for taking the initiative of constructing large warships and potent fast attack crafts through the revival of the Karachi shipyard. He also praised the navy for developing a national maritime policy which is slated to be completed soon.



Speaking about his economic initiatives, Sharif said the government was working towards making Gwadar Port fully functional at the earliest and developing the Gwadar-Kashgar link, under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor portfolio. According to Sharif, some of the most important projects include the construction of an airport, expressway link and a powerhouse in Gwadar.

Earlier, the PM unveiled the foundation plaque of the new PNWC building. The  83,254 square feet building has an auditorium, central hall, 10 syndicate rooms, five war-gaming rooms, three faculty clusters, two conference rooms, a library and several meeting rooms.

The inauguration was attended by Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, Punjab Chief Secretary Navid Akram Cheema and Punjab IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera.  

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2014.