KARACHI / ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy took over the command of the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) at a change of command ceremony held at its headquarters in Bahrain on Friday, says a press release. Pakistan has previously led the multinational force five times.

The CTF-151 is responsible for counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and Horn of Africa under the ambit of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

Vice Admiral John W Miller, CMF Commander, presided over the ceremony.

Commodore Asif Hameed Siddiqui, who took over the command from Rear Admiral Pakorn Wanich of the Royal Thailand Navy, said that although incidents of piracy had declined they continued to present an intricate and extraordinary threat, which impacted energy security, freedom of navigation, global security and stability.

“During the command, I shall continue to deter and disrupt piracy while maintaining a flexible approach in coordination with CMF,” he said.

The CMF is a naval partnership of 30 nations tasked to promote security, stability and prosperity across approximately 2.5 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

The Pakistan Navy in the backdrop of a UN Security Council resolution joined the CTF-151 in 2009 to combat piracy and since then is an integral part of it.

A number of distinguished military and civilian dignitaries, including US Ambassador to Bahrain, Thai Ambassador, Commander EURONAVFOR 465, senior officials from Pakistan Embassy and officers from various countries attended the ceremony.

The CTF-151 is one of the three task forces operated by the CMF and its command is rotated between participatory nations on three to six months’ tenure.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2015

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