KARACHI, Aug 30: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Thursday that credible defence capability was necessary for peace and Pakistan would continue to proceed on this path and upgrade forces.

Addressing the closing session of Pakistan Navy’s ‘Shamsheer-e-Behr-III’ war-games at PNS Jauhar, Mr Aziz said Pakistan was pursuing the strategy for peace and at the same time improving its defence capabilities to ensure that it was not marginalised.

Chief of Naval Staff Mohammad Afzal Tahir, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed, Lt-Gen Ather and senior officers were present on the occasion.

The peace could only be achieved with strength. Therefore, we need to identify various initiatives to ensure a minimum credible deterrence, he said.

He said for maintaining this deterrence capability, the country depends on strategic and conventional initiatives.

“As far as strategic capability is concerned, we have nuclear facility which has proved its worth in ensuring peace in the region.”

He highlighted the importance of Pakistan Navy in protecting the sea lanes and routes besides the coastline of the country.

Mr Aziz said that Pakistan was a key player in the Gulf region because of its geo-strategic location and had the potential to become a hub for multiple corridors of cooperation in energy, trade and transportation sectors.