ATTOCK, Feb 27: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that minimum level of deterrence would be maintained to defend the motherland with dignity, adding that peace could be achieved only through strong defence.

He was addressing a ceremony held to mark the signing of an agreement for manufacturing of Boeing 777 components and inauguration of the ‘overhaul project of propeller of C-130 aircraft’ at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra.

“Pakistan”, the premier said, “stands for peace, but we guard our independence with honour and dignity. Our strategy of defence is to maintain deterrence level in both areas and therefore we are guaranteeing peace with dignity and peace with honour.”

He said: “We do not foster aggressive designs against any country, but we will defend our integrity and solidarity at every cost with strong defence. Therefore, defence forces of the country are being equipped with modern defence equipment and technology.”

He said Pakistan’s armed forces were fully capable of protecting the motherland.

Referring to the manufacturing of Boeing 777 components, he said the project would enhance PAC’s capability, but added that the real challenge for the PAC was to maintain international standards. The aim should be to ensure that Boeing Company, USA, continued to purchase components from the PAC even after the expiry of the contract in 2010, he stressed.

He pointed out that after the co-production of JF-17 Thunder aircraft with the collaboration of China, the Boeing 777 project marked the fulfilment of another commitment made to the nation.

Mr Aziz said he had no doubt that the agreement signed on Monday would lead the country to increased technological self-reliance. He congratulated the Pakistan Air Force and PAC on launching the JF-17 Thunder project and the manufacturing of Boeing components.

Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Defence Production Minister Habibullah Warriach, Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam, Chief of Air staff, Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, and US Boeing company’s senior vice-president Merry Monica were present on the occasion.

Ms Monica described the agreement as historic and said it would prove a milestone in the ties between the two countries. She said such agreements not only testified the PAC’s commitment but also endorsed the trust it had won in the international aviation market. She hoped the PAC would maintain the required quality and standard.

The PAC team, she said, had shown professionalism, skill and understanding during negotiations for the contract.

Highlighting PAC’s achievements, its chairman Air Marshal Aurangzeb Khan said the factory had come a long way since its inception three decades ago. Starting with the F-16 rebuild factory in 1972, he said, PAC had grown in capability, responsibility, expertise and confidence and today the F-16 factory overhauled six types of Chinese-origin fighter aircraft and their components.

The Mirage Rebuild Factory came up in 1974, which now looked after the repair, overhaul and avionics upgrade, he said. The Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, founded in 1975, started manufacturing Mushak aircraft while the production of aerial target drones had also been added to its list.

ACCORD: The agreement for manufacturing Boeing 777 components was signed by the managing director of Rebuild Factory, Air Commodore Kamal Alam, and representative of Boeing Company, Mr Stathatus.