PN fully aware of responsibilities: Naval Chief

ISLAMABAD—While taking over the Command of Pakistan Navy, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir said that Pakistan Navy’s responsibilities at sea have increased manifold with the passage of time and with the turn of events in this part of the world. He said that it is our duty to discharge these responsibilities to the best of our ability and to the satisfaction of the government and the people of Pakistan.
Speaking on assuming command of Pakistan Navy at the change of command ceremony at the Naval Complex here today, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir said that the primary role of the navy as a potent fighting force is to maintain optimum preparedness at all times. It is towards the fulfillment of this primary task that I will strive. The Admiral said that while the Navy today can boast of a wide variety of military hardware in its inventory, it should not be forgotten that it is the quality of fighting men that is the real force multiplier. Their courage in difficult situations and willingness to work beyond the call of duty are great assets indeed. He added that, while working together as a well-knit team, we shall Inshallah succeed in facing the challenges that lie ahead. We must be fully prepared to fight and prevail through the attributes of superior training, professional excellence and above all faith in our cause, he emphasized.
In his farewell address .the outgoing naval chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah said, that by the grace of Allah, the Navy today stands as an effective and efficient arm of the country’s Armed Forces, fully capable of protecting our maritime interests and maintaining deterrence. Pakistan Navy has emerged as an effective instrument of the country’s defence and foreign policies; capable of showing presence in our area of interest while fully contributing in nation building.
Admiral Shahid further said that a navy like ours ought to use its own overarching reach to provide leverage to national, diplomatic and security interests. It was therefore decided to enhance the Navy’s visibility and reach out much beyond the regional boundaries. This was achieved through sustained operations in our area of interest; PN participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan and successful conduct of maritime diplomacy through flag showing and presence, from China in the East to the USA in the West.—DPR (Navy)