KARACHI: The chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen Rashid Mehmood, has emphasised the need for giving more importance to maritime security.

Addressing the concluding session of the 6th International Maritime Conference, he said: “Maritime security has assumed ever greater significance in the face of changing global scenario, and the activities of non-state actors, transnational threats and challenges such as piracy and terrorism, illegal exploitation of natural resources, marine environment and pollution, unlawful trade and less than adequate preparedness to meet natural disasters are some of the key issues, which require thorough deliberations at such international forums.”

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The third day of the conference organised by the National Centre for Maritime Policy Research in collaboration with the Pakistan Navy saw discussions on maritime security by local and foreign experts who exchanged ideas for bringing the maritime region of Indian Ocean and West Pacific closer.

Gen Mehmood said the challenges in dealing with the evolving environment in the Indo-Pacific region had increased because of the dynamic socio-political conditions and economic potential of the region. In this scenario, the mitigation of maritime risks and vulnerabilities require coordinated efforts. “The littoral states of the region, therefore, need to focus on collaborative maritime security with a spirit of cooperation rather than competition. Particularly, the build-up of military capability, deployment of navies and exploitation of resources should not lead to increase in regional tensions,” he added.

Gen Mehmood said conferences like this and forums like the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium as well as Western Pacific Naval Symposium provided a good platform to regional countries to sit together and deliberate on contentious issues, thereby reducing tensions and bringing nations together.

Published in Dawn February 17th , 2015

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