LAHORE: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah said on Friday that Pakistan could not be oblivious to threats to its sovereignty and national security as hegemonic and domineering mindset existed in the neighbourhood.

He was addressing the convocation of the Pakistan Navy Staff Course at Pakistan Navy War College here on Friday.

Admiral Zakaullah conferred Masters Degrees in War Studies (Maritime) on 50 graduates from Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and 18 officers from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

The naval chief said that Pakistan’s geographic location was of immense global interest.

“This is evident from the near permanent presence of Extra Regional Forces driven by economic and security interests. These and other stakeholders in larger Asia are turning towards sea and significant investments are being made towards strategic and conventional build-up of naval forces.”

He said hegemonic and domineering mindset prevailed in the neighbourhood, adding: “We cannot be oblivious to threats to our sovereignty and national security”.

He said the government was providing considerable resources to the armed forces despite budgetary constraints and now “it is our duty to optimise these resources to achieve desired results to ensure a formidable defence”.

Advising graduating officers, Admiral Zakaullah emphasised that an officer in the leadership position must be an effective decision-maker because one can neither afford indecision nor lack of a judgment which was regressive for any organisation, particularly militaries.

“Make positive contribution to the decision-making process by making best use of skills learnt during the course,” he advised the officers.

The naval chief congratulated the graduating officers and acknowledged the resolve of the PN War College and forthright support of the National Defence University in undertaking all activities of the course.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Commandant of PN War College Rear Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan summarised professional and academic activities in which the graduating officers had been trained during the course.

He appreciated the presence of a sizeable number of allied officers graduating from the college, saying it signified fraternal bonds among these countries and Pakistan and above all among “our navies”.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of distinguished civilians and senior officers of the armed forces of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2016