KARACHI, Feb 7: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsanul Haq speaking at the installation of Major General Muhammad Ashraf Saleem as the new Colonel Commandant of Army Air Defence on Wednesday, said the national and military leadership of the country was aware of the complex nature of the situation Pakistan faces today.

He termed it a challenging time and called upon the people to prepare to face the situation with courage and fortitude. “These challenges,” he said, “are affecting both the internal and external situation of the country”.

The complexities of the situation posed further challenges for the armed forces, from conventional high intensity to counter terrorism and counter insurgency to unconventional war”.He claimed that national defence was much better than before and the government is aware of its needs and making all possible resources available for a credible defence.

He said the country’s nuclear and space programme was going ahead as planned and it was taking strategic initiatives in the fields of C4ISR, Electronic Warfare and Network Centric Warfare.

Commenting on the internal situation, General Ehsanul Haq said it was necessary to thwart threats of sectarianism, regional ethnicity and terrorism with determination and courage as they posed serious challenge to national integration and stability. “They go against all religious and moral principles and against those laid down by the founding fathers, he added.