Pakistan Navy's special 'Task Force-88' (TF-88) was established Tuesday for maritime security of Gwadar port and protection of associated sea lanes against both conventional and non-traditional threats.

An International Maritime Conference on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was held at Gwadar today to commission the TF-88 force.

The creation of the special maritime force has been necessitated by the operationalisation of CPEC, which is expected to lead to a surge in maritime activity at Gwadar — the nodal point for CPEC — and the sea lanes. This has in turn increased the maritime susceptibilities there.

TF-88 is to comprise ships, Fast Attack Craft, aircraft, drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), and surveillance assets. Additio­nally, marines would be deployed at sea and around Gwadar for security operations, according to a senior Navy official.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zakaullah and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Hayat, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri attended the conference.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was to attend the conference but his flight from Lahore was delayed due to dense fog, Admiral Zakaullah said.

Opinion

Editorial

No preparedness
Updated 06 Jul, 2025

No preparedness

With frequency of calamitous weather events increasing, the country cannot afford to be in denial after every tragedy.
Saarc’s future
Updated 07 Jul, 2025

Saarc’s future

South Asia’s vast potential cannot be held hostage forever by India.
PSB’s waning authority
06 Jul, 2025

PSB’s waning authority

IT has been two decades since the National Sports Policy was introduced but its implementation leaves much to be...
Extreme step
Updated 05 Jul, 2025

Extreme step

Legal experts have termed the move devoid of logic and an extreme measure.
Russian recognition
05 Jul, 2025

Russian recognition

NEARLY four years after the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul, Russia has become the first country to recognise the...
Building collapse
Updated 05 Jul, 2025

Building collapse

Why has the Sindh Building Control Authority been so helpless in enforcing its writ?