Participants visit PN installations at coastal areas, creeks

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KARACHI: Pakistan Navy (PN) is conducting the premier ‘Maritime Security Workshop’ (MARSEW) on the theme “Secure Seas – Prosperous Pakistan” at Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore.

The two-week long MARSEW, commenced on September 11, with an aim to create maritime awareness, enlighten the participants on the vast maritime potential of Pakistan and its significance for the overall economic growth of the country.

The workshop comprised of one week on-campus activities and one-week visits of Pakistan Navy installations and units at Karachi, creeks and coastal areas and other maritime setups. The second phase commenced on September 18. The participants of the delegation included members of Senate, National Assembly, provinces, media, educationists and bureaucrats.

The delegation visited the Fleet Headquarters, Pakistan Navy Dockyard, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, HQ Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and Sindh Fisheries Department.

A briefing was given to the delegation on the emerging contemporary challenges in the region and Pakistan Navy’s role in safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and roles of various PN Commands. The participants were briefed on the ship and submarine repair capabilities and indigenisation programmes of PN.

The delegation also boarded Pakistan Navy Ships and witnessed sea-based exercises off Karachi coast. Later, a visit of forward bases of Pakistan Navy in Creeks area was also arranged for the delegation, where Commander Pak Marines gave a briefing on the strategic and economic importance of the area, prevailing challenges and roles of Pak Marines. The delegation also had a trip to the creeks area on PN Hovercraft.

Upon arrival at coastal areas, the delegation undertook a detailed visit of Jinnah Naval Base Ormara, where they were briefed on various developmental projects of the Base. The delegation was briefed on the nation-building initiatives along the Makran coast and PN efforts aimed at socio-economic uplift of Baloch populace along the coastal belt.

During the visit of Cadet College Ormara, the delegation members were apprised of the facilities being provided by Pakistan Navy to the cadets and college’s planned developments so as to make it a premier training institution on the Makran coast.

The members of the delegation also visited the 100-bed Pakistan Navy Hospital and they were apprised that the PN was extending free medical facilities to the locals and coastal community.

In the last leg of the visit, participants visited the Gwadar Port. The delegation was briefed about the importance of the port for the CPEC project and the effective measures PN has taken for the maritime components of CPEC, including security of the port and its seaward approaches.

The participants of the delegation expressed satisfaction over PN’s operational preparedness, CPEC and Gwadar port projects and nation-building efforts and highly lauded PN’s strenuous efforts and initiatives for safeguarding the maritime interests of Pakistan. The delegation also visited Naval Headquarters, Islamabad and was briefed on PN roles and tasks in safeguarding the sea frontiers of Pakistan.