KARACHI: A 10-member delegation of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence, headed by Sheikh Rohale Asghar, undertook a three-day visit to facilities and installations of the Pakistan Navy and coastal areas on Wednesday.

The delegation visited the Pakistan Navy Dockyard the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering works and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency headquarters. During the visit, briefings were given to the committee on the emerging contemporary challenges in the region, Pakistan Navy’s role in safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and role/tasks of various PN commands. The committee was also briefed on the ship and submarine repair capabilities and PN’s indigenisation programmes.

Later, the committee undertook a detailed visit of the Jinnah Naval Base at Ormara, where they were briefed on various developmental projects. During a visit to the Cadet College Ormara, where 50 per cent of the cadets are from Balochistan whose education is free, the committee members were told about the quality education and training being provided to the cadets.

Besides, the committee was also briefed on PN’s contributions to nation building through initiatives for special empowerment of coastal communities residing along the Makran coastal belt.

Similarly, during the visit of the 100-bed hospital PNS Darmaan Jah, the committee was briefed about the quality health care facilities afforded to the local population in addition to PN personnel.

Later, the committee visited the Gwadar port, where it was briefed on the importance of this port for the CPEC project and the effective measures taken by the PN for the maritime security of the port and its seaward approaches. The committee also witnessed PN exercises at sea off Gwadar while on board PNS Zulfiqar.

On the occasion, the chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence showed his satisfaction over the operational preparedness of Pakistan Navy for the protection of CPEC and Gwadar port projects. The committee assured its full support to the PN for its future developmental plans in order to safeguard the maritime interests of Pakistan in the Indian Ocean region.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2016