RISALPUR, March 26: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan will continue to maintain minimum level of deterrence for peace that can be achieved through strength. He was addressing the passing-out ceremony of 114th GDP (general duty pilot) and 60th CAE (cadet for aeronautical engineering) courses at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Academy, Risalpur, on Saturday. The prime minister emphasised that Pakistan did not foster aggressive designs against any country, but would defend its integrity and solidarity at all costs, therefore, the defence forces of the country were being equipped with modern equipment and aircraft. Our vision for national security is based on five pillars of economic sovereignty, credible defence capability, smooth functioning of political process, good governance structure to ensure speedy justice and to improve service delivery and conducive international environment, he said.Elaborating the importance of PAF, he said, a strong air force was an indispensable instrument for ensuring the security and sanctity of our air space, and the nation had strong faith in the Pakistan Air Force and its courageous aerial sentinels. He said graduating pilots and engineers must come up to the nation’s expectations and pursue their profession by developing necessary moral virtues and ethical values. He congratulated and urged them to meet the challenges of their profession, besides developing the art of leadership, justice and honesty.Earlier, a message of President Gen Pervez Musharraf was read out, which said Pakistan was a peace-loving and forward-looking country that pursued peace and harmony.

Later, the prime minister gave away trophies and pinned flying badges and insignias to the successful cadets.

Many senior armed forces and civil officers, military attaches of various countries and families of cadets, NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman, Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Minister of State for Defence Zahid Hamid, Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshall Kaleem Saadat and the air officer commanding of the academy were also present on the occasion.