KARACHI, Jan 2: Calling for a “proactive role” of navy in maintaining a “conducive maritime security environment”, Chief of the Naval Staff has declared that Pakistan Navy will maintain its operational readiness.

Addressing the 90th officers commissioning parade of Pakistan Navy held at Pakistan Naval Academy PNS Rahbar on Friday morning, Admiral Noman Bashir said: “Notwithstanding, Pakistan government’s unprecedented peace initiative with India, coupled with confidence-building measures, we cannot afford to be complacent and must maintain a high state of operational preparedness because only a credible deterrence guarantees peace,” he said.

He said: “Our peacetime roles of maritime policing, benign operations and diplomatic undertakings have increased manifold.

“This warrants not only an effective and reasonably modern navy but also maintenance of right balance between quality and quantity.”

He said that despite limited resources, Pakistan Navy had adopted a two-pronged approach — acquisition from abroad with transfer of technology and indigenous construction.