ISLAMABAD, April 25 Observing that the country was facing a myriad of security challenges, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Tariq Majid has underlined the need for adequate steps to counter the threats.
He was addressing the passing out parade of 119 PMA Long Course, 33rd Graduate Course, 21st Technical Graduate Course, 38th Integrated Course and 4th Lady Cadet Course at the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, on Saturday.
Referring to the increasingly difficult external environment and the rather precarious internal dynamics, he said Pakistan today was passing through a very critical phase of its history. “We are pitched against growing sub-conventional threats while the conventional threat has also been enhanced.
“While the way forward to defeat the spectrum of threats is through comprehensive national effort, the armed forces indeed have a pivotal role to play, in unison with other instruments of the state.
“This inevitably adds to our onerous responsibilities and we need to match our actions with the gravity of these testing times,” he said.
The CJCSC was apparently talking of the situation in Swat and adjoining areas and Balochistan on the internal front, and the drone attacks inside Pakistan's territory, unending tension with India in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks. The statement came days after Interior Adviser Rehman Malik disclosed that the state had the evidence of involvement of India and Afghanistan in unrest and violence in Balochistan.
Gen Tariq Majid said “Pakistan seeks harmonious and peaceful coexistence with all countries, especially the neighbours. However, this cannot be at the cost of our core interests, sovereign rights and national honour. Each one of us who wears the uniform represents the freedom that defines us as a nation, and therefore, has to remain vigilant and prepared to jealously safeguard it.”
Advising the cadets, Gen Tariq Majid emphasised that “besides the sacred duty of defence of the country, you also carry the responsibility of safeguarding our ideological frontiers and playing your role to protect the society in general and your subordinates in particular, from falling prey to the exploitative deluge of hate and extremism which is endangering to engulf us. This you can do by enlightening yourself and nurturing in your men the real teachings and genuine ethical values of Islam, so that they can contest the negative trends of time with resilience”.
Meanwhile, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has said “The PAF will continue to maintain its optimum operational readiness to undertake all types of missions against all internal and external threats to ensure safety and security of the country. Pakistan Air Force is capable to provide instant support to Pak army as and when directed by government of Pakistan.”
He said this while presiding over annual safety review at the Air Headquarters on Saturday.
He said keeping PAF at the highest state of 'operational readiness' was his No 1 priority. “For me, 'Ops Readiness' is nothing but realistic training, coupled with correct procedures and safe practices. I will endeavour to make PAF a professionally trained force, ready to undertake operations at all times and capable of producing desired results safely, which would serve as deterrence in peacetime and a potent force during war. These characteristics would provide us with the means to ensure national security of Pakistan.”
The flight safety review is an annual feature in which major accidents of the previous year are analysed in detail and adequacy of remedial measures is reviewed.
During the current review, an analysis of the flight safety programme of the PAF was given by Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Safety) Air Commodore Pirzada Kamaluddin and Director Flight Safety Group Captain Muhammad Nadeem Sabir.
A review of operational activities of PAF was presented by Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Hassan, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations).The review meeting was informed that Pakistan Air Force persistently worked for pulling off zero avoidable accident rate during 2008.
During the year, the rate of accidents kept below the average of last 30 years despite enhanced flying activity. The safety management centre of Pakistan Air Force remained exhaustively engaged in exploring and debating on the latest safety concepts at national and international fora, which rendered positive effects on the safety management of PAF.
The PAF is committed to safeguarding its valued precious human and material resources through modern mechanisms and concerted human efforts at all tiers.
Principal staff officers, regional commanders and field officers attended the review.