LAHORE, June 6: Global interests are now focussed on the Middle East and Asia with the primary concern of protecting economic interests in the form of a free flow of oil from the Persian Gulf region as well as tapping the natural resources of the Central Asian Republics.

This was stated by Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Shahid Karimullah while speaking to participants of the 32nd Pakistan Navy course at the Pakistan Navy War College here on Friday.

He said the possibility of providing a trade outlet to “these land-locked countries into the Indian Ocean was very promising.” “The development of the Gwadar Port will allow us optimum use of this geographical advantage of our country.”

The Naval Chief said: “More than 90 per cent of our trade is carried through the sea. As far as trade is concerned, we are an island nation. Hence, we must be very mindful of the maritime compulsions that this situation imposes on us — both economically and militarily.”

He said the government had given its go-ahead for a survey of Pakistan’s continental shelf in order to seek an extension of the countries exclusive economic zone up to 350 nautical miles.