QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said that Pakistan Navy has been playing a vital role in providing quality education and health facilities to people of coastal areas in the province.

Addressing the foundation-stone laying ceremony of the academic block and hostel at the Cadet College Ormara on Wednesday, he said special attention was being paid to the education and health sectors.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila and other senior officers attended the ceremony.

Dr Baloch praised the navy for establishing Bahria Model School in Turbat and Bahria Model School and College and an education complex in Gwadar and providing free education and medical facilities to local people. He appreciated the navy for making efforts to revamp the Pasni fish harbour and facilitating the Balochistan government in signing a dredging agreement to recover the much-needed harbour.

Naval chief Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila and senior officers attend the foundation-stone laying ceremony of a hostel at the Cadet College in Ormara

The Cadet College Ormara, established jointly by the navy, the Balochistan government and the Ministry of Defence, provides free education to students of coastal areas. The college started functioning in makeshift arrangements since 2013 and at present a total of 116 cadets in two batches are studying.

The college will have purpose-built buildings and other infrastructure covering about 500 acres of land in near future to start masters’ programme. The campus will comprise six hostels, an academic block, a mess, sports facilities and faculty and staff accommodation. It will accommodate over 600 students.

More than 1,300 students are getting education at Bahria model schools and college in Gwadar, Ormara and Jiwani.

AVIATION BASE: A ceremony to commission the Pakistan Navy aviation base, PNS Siddiq, was held in Turbat. Navy chief Admiral Asif Sandila was chief guest.

The aviation base will strengthen seaward security along the Makran coast and beyond and also lead to commercial flying activities. Other facilities at the PNS Siddiq, including a hospital and an educational institute, will provide quality services to local people. The base is fully geared up to provide rapid assistance in times of need and natural calamities.

Addressing the ceremony, Admiral Sandila said that commissioning of the naval airbase in Balochistan hinterland was a significant milestone towards enhancing the navy’s operational capability, which would support “our endeavour to keep vital sea routes of the Indian Ocean region safe for the global maritime community and combat maritime terrorism and safeguard the interests of the country”.

He lauded the untiring resolve and perseverance of all those who had been associated with this megaproject of immense national significance and expressed the hope that the crew of PNS Siddiq would continue the hard work and dedication for setting the tone and standards which would pave way for smooth and timely operation of the naval air station in Turbat.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of navy, military and civil dignitaries.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014