LAHORE: Under the auspices of Pakistan Navy, the maiden Maritime Security Workshop (MARSEW) on the theme ‘Secure Seas – Prosperous Pakistan’, commenced at Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore, on Monday.
The two-week duration MARSEW is aimed to create maritime awareness, enlighten the participants on the vast maritime potential of Pakistan and its significance for overall economic growth of the country.
The workshop will entail one-week on-campus activities followed by field visits to Pakistan Navy installations and maritime infrastructure at Karachi, coastal and creeks area.
During the opening session of MARSEW, Commandant Pakistan Navy War College Rear Admiral Moazzam Ilyas welcomed all guests, participants and emphasised the importance of uninterrupted use of seas for the common good.
The commandant said that maritime security was about being safe against all forms of sea-based threats, including threats from non-state actors and the conventional state-based force.
The commandant highlighted that Indian Ocean continues to serve as the world’s greatest reservoir, supplying fossil fuels to larger Asia and beyond. Pakistan, geographically, sits astride international gateway of energy, the “Strait of Hormuz” and almost 17 million barrels of oil that represents nearly 30 per cent of all maritime traded petroleum is transported each day via this narrow strait.
Ilyas underscored that Gwadar Port, situated at the cusp of Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, is projected to be the cornerstone of national economic development and a source of prosperity for Pakistan in general and Balochistan in particular.
He also highlighted that as a nation, it is incumbent upon us to take stock of the regional maritime situation and implement long-term sustainable policies that enable the success of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and reinvigorate country’s maritime sector.
He said that the maritime workshop is one of the steps taken by Pakistan Navy to enhance awareness amongst the stakeholders, regarding strong sea-based economy and emerging national security concerns at and from the sea.
The opening session of the workshop was attended by parliamentarians, civil & military dignitaries, members of academia and PN Staff Course members.
