New Naval Chief meets President

RAWALPINDI—New Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir called on President General Pervez Musharraf here on Friday.
President General Pervez Musharraf congratulated him on the assumption of his new responsibilities and expressed confidence that Pakistan Navy would greatly benefit from his leadership and professional excellence.
Meanwhile New Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir thanked the President for the confidence reposed in him and expressed his determination to work diligently for the defense and development of the country.
The new chief of Pakistan Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir Friday assumed the Naval Command from the outgoing chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah in a ceremony held here at Naval Headquarter.
Talking to newsmen on the occasion, Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir said that his first priority would be to complete the ongoing projects launched by retiring Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah. He highlighted importance of hi-tech training of naval officers as well as civilians attached to PN and assured he would take every possible step to cater the needs of Pakistan navy, besides undertaking welfare programs for the officers and civilians. Responding to a question, he said that submarines could be bought from anywhere available best at bargaining price, as they constituted the key-defensive power. The outgoing PN Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah said that the long-range surveillance planes from Britain and hi-tech helicopters for the surveillance of the territorial waters from China and France were being obtained to further strengthen PN defensive power.—Agencies