ISLAMABAD, March 26: Rear Admiral Shahid Iqbal has been named commander of the multi-national Task Force-150 of the Coalition Maritime Security Campaign Plan, as Pakistan braces up to take over its command. Sources said Rear Admiral Iqbal would operate for one year from the Naval Central Command (NAVCENT) headquarters in Bahrain. Pakistan will be the first non-Nato country to take over the command and it will be the first time that the country will lead such a multi-national maritime counter-terrorism operation.

The plan is the maritime component of Operation Enduring Freedom being undertaken by a US-led coalition of naval forces in the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa since October 2001. The operation aims at preventing, deterring and destroying international terrorist organisations by denying them the use of maritime environment.

Pakistan Navy joined the campaign is April 2004. The PNS Babur has been conducting operations with American destroyer USS Sullivans and French frigate FS Surcouf in the Gulf of Oman. The Babur took part in maritime interdiction operations intended to disrupt the passage of terrorists and their materials by sea.

The sources said another important aspect of the plan was to check and interrupt drugs, arms and human trafficking.

Other nations participating in the plan are: the United States, Britain, France, Australia, Italy, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

Pakistan Navy regularly contributes one destroyer, with onboard helicopter, for the coalition Task Force-150 operating under Coalition Forces Maritime Component command of US NAVCENT.

Pakistan Navy also provides the services of maritime patrol aircraft for surveillance.

PN personnel are also actively involved in planning and coordination of operations at the headquarters of US NAVCENT and at US CENTCOM Headquarters at Tampa, the United States.

In all, 45 ships, 25 of them belonging to the US, participate in the maritime security operations.

The campaign has been divided into Task Force 150 and Task Force 152.