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Pakistan Defence News part 1



Kayani emphatically pointed that no such activity would be accepted and that Pakistan “has all it takes to resist the ill treatment of that nature”.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Thursday gave an ultimatum to Afghanistan to stop cross-border attacks in Pakistan.
General Kayani announced this during his interview at the Saudi joint military exercise overhauling in Mangla. The Army Chief and his Saudi counterpart were in attendance to oversee the exercises. The army chief went further to emphasise on the cordial, unique and formidable relationship existing between the people of Pakistan aqnd Saudi Arabia.
On the present joint exercises General Kayani pointed out that the aim of the drill was to eliminate terrorism. He went further that military operations were not best recipes fore every problem and that the global community knew about it.
Kayani said that they had displayed everything which needed to be done in the war on terror but what was now remaining for the civilian government is to control the situation.
Briefing the media, after watching the joint military exercises, General Kayani said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had an important part to play in war on terror. He reiterated that every army operation in his area was purely to ensure law and order prevailed and that troops couldnt be there permanently. In addition, Pakistan Army had organised a plan to overcome any terrorist attacks from Afganistan .
To a question, he remarked that Pakistan Army acquired formidable successes against terrorists in Swat, Malakand and Waziristan agencies.
Vice Admiral Asif Sandila has been given a new rank of admiral thus being made the new chief of the Pakistan Navy, an official report made on Wednesday.
The outgoing naval chief made a last visit to the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here this morning at the Prime Minister’s residence. He kept the Prime Minister abreast of the welfare developments achieved during his time in addition to the latest ones in terms of training and education in the Navy. These welfare developments comprise of construction of houses for retired CPOs/sailors, building of residential estate at Younusabad, Karachi, for serving sailors, recruitment of women officers and women sailors in the Navy, Admiral Bashir enumerated.
The Prime Minister welcomed the contributions Admiral Bashir carried out to enhance both training and living conditions of sailors. Gilani accepted the role displayed by Pakistan Navy in relief rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims in Sindh and other nation building activities during earlier calamities and environmental disasters.

Create an International Military Yogic-Flying Zone in Kashmir
By Dr. Hussain Khan, Dr. David Orme-Johnson, Maj. Gen. (Ret.), Kulwant Singh, and Dr. David Leffler
“The purpose of the military is to keep war from happening — or to end it quickly if it does happen.”
—Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Over the years “no-fly zones” have gained worldwide attention. Their goal is often to set up a “demilitarized zone in the sky” where military aircraft of a bellicose country are hampered from conducting military operations.

Zones have also been established in various countries to protect important government buildings. Both India and Pakistan have created zones for this purpose. While no-fly zones might potentially save lives and prevent property damage, the authors propose that militaries use a scientifically-validated defense strategy that prevents hostility and conflict before it arises.
How does this preventative defense approach work? Social problems like war, terrorism and crime are human problems that require a human solution. The accumulation of collective social stress is a source of conflict and upheaval. If the stress driving these social problems could be toned down, then problems may be diminished or even ceased. No collective stress means no war, terrorism or crime. This represents the ideal of preventive defense.
This paper urges the militaries of India and Pakistan (as well as other countries) to jointly establish what might be coined as a military “yogic-flying zone” in the disputed border region of Kashmir. Once fully operational this ideal preventive defense system would create a ground of coherence in collective consciousness that would resolve deeply held differences, and create a lasting peace not only in Kashmir, but potentially worldwide as well.

These Ecuadorian warriors meditate in groups to protect their nation. Center: Two TM Teachers
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple, easily learned meditation technique revived from the ancient Vedic tradition by the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Over six million people of all faiths worldwide have learned this non-religious practice. According to Dr. Frederick Travis, Director, Center for Brain, Consciousness, and Cognition at Maharishi University of Management, research shows that all meditation practices are not the same. Travis reports that “recent studies show meditation practices have been classified into three categories: Focused Attention, Open Monitoring, and Automatic Self-Transcending. Techniques in the Automatic Self-Transcending category transcend their own procedure – take the attention out of thinking, analyzing, controlling, or watching to a state of pure consciousness. The Transcendental Meditation technique is in this category. During TM synchronous alpha1 (8-10 Hz) activation is seen primarily in frontal executive areas as well as over the whole brain, indicating integrated functioning of the brain.”
Military units in Latin America, such as in Ecuador, have already implemented the TM technique and their military personnel are now also learning the more advanced and powerful TM-Sidhi program, which includes Yogic Flying. When used in a military context this preventative human resource-based defense technology is known as Invincible Defense Technology (IDT). Military units specifically setup to practice this technology of consciousness in large groups twice a day are known as “Prevention Wings of the Military.” Their goal is to create coherence in collective consciousness, which prevents enemies from arising. If a military has no enemies to fight, then, it becomes invincible. (For more information see:http://www.davidleffler.com/worldwide.html#Ecuador.)
Due to a successful Latin American military field test of IDT, one country is already planning to deploy a Prevention Wing of the Military comprised of 11,000 military personnel. The goal of this special unit will be to produce what scientists call the Maharishi Effect, not only in their home country, but also on a global scale. The Maharishi Effect is a phase transition to a more orderly and harmonious state of life, as measured by decreased crime, violence, accidents, and illness, and improvements in economic conditions and other social indicators.
In the tradition of naming scientific discoveries after their founder (e.g., the Doppler Effect, the Meissner Effect), the scientists who discovered this effect named it the Maharishi Effect (Borland & Landrith, Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program: Collected Papers, Vol. 1, pp. 639-648, 1976) in honor of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation program and the TM-Sidhi program. He predicted over 50 years ago that only a small fraction of the population participating in the Transcendental Meditation program would be sufficient to improve the quality of life in the whole society. Since then, this transformation of society has been documented scientifically, first at the city level, then at state and national levels, and then on a worldwide level – the Global Maharishi Effect.
It has been found that only a small segment of a society is needed to create the Maharishi Effect – 1% practicing the Transcendental Meditation program; or an even smaller proportion, the square root of 1% practicing the TM-Sidhi program, which includes Yogic Flying. This number is so small that the beneficial influence of the Maharishi Effect cannot be explained by the behavioral interactions of meditators within the social system. Instead, the results indicate a field effect – an influence of coherence radiating throughout society.
There have been over 50 studies showing that the TM and TM-Sidhi program improves the quality of life in the larger society. (See: Leffler, Kleinschnitz & Walton, Security and Political Risk Analysis, 1999, for a paper with a table that summarizes most of these studies, available online at:http://www.davidleffler.com/sapraalternative.html) The findings have been published in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals including The Journal of Conflict ResolutionSocial Indicators ResearchJournal of Crime and Justice, and Journal of Mind and Behavior as well as presented and published in the proceedings of professional conferences. Variables assessed in these studies include armed conflict, crime rate, violent fatalities (homicides, suicides, and motor vehicle fatalities), economic indicators, and broad quality of life indices which incorporate the above variables as well as rates of notifiable diseases, hospital admissions, infant mortality, divorce, cigarette and alcohol consumption, and GNP. Effects for each variable or for overall indices are in the direction of improved quality of life. This research has:
  1. statistically controlled for a wide range of demographic variables;
  2. used causal cross-lagged analysis methods, which have indicated that increasing numbers practicing the TM program are followed by improvements in society;
  3. employed time series analyses to control for seasonality, trends, drifts, and rival hypotheses, and to demonstrate temporal relationships among variables that support a causal model; and
  4. experimentally created large groups of TM and TM-Sidhi program participants in various populations to demonstrate positive changes on specific social indicators predicted in advance.
In addition, over 600 studies on the TM program support the Maharishi Effect, because they demonstrate improvements in individual life, which are at the basis of the improvements observed in society. The following sections of this paper summarize selected studies conducted on the Maharishi Effect:
Studies on Crime
• Decreased Crime Rate in 24 U.S. Cities: Crime trend was established by linear regression from 1967-72 for 24 cities that reached 1% of their population participating in the TM program in 1972 and for 24 control cities matched for total population, college population, and geographic region. The 1% cities were found to have a significant reduction in crime trend during the six-year experimental period from 1972-1977 compared to controls. The two groups of cities did not differ on a large number of variables known to affect crime: per capita income, percentage of persons aged 15 to 29, percent unemployed, and percent of families below the poverty level. Statistical control through analysis of covariance for three variables on which the two groups of cities did differ (median years education, stability of residence, and pre-intervention crime rate) showed reduced crime trends in the 1% cities when these variables were taken into account (Dillbeck, Landrith and Orme-Johnson,Crime and Justice, IV, 26-45, 1981).
• Crime Rate in 160 U.S. Cities: A study of a random sample of 160 U.S. cities found that increasing numbers of TM program participants in the cities over a seven-year period (1972-1978) was followed by reductions in crime rate (FBI Uniform Crime Index total), controlling through partial correlation for other variables known to affect crime, such as median years education, percent unemployment, per capita income, percent of families in poverty, stability of residence, percent over age 65, population size, population density, and ratio of police per population. Cross-lagged panel analysis supported a causal interpretation (Dillbeck, Banus, Polanzi, & Landrith, Journal of Mind and Behavior, 9, 457-486, 1989).
• Decreased Crime Rate in Washington, D.C. Another approach to assessing the causal structure of the relationship between variables is through the use of time series analysis. This approach allows inference to be made about immediate changes in crime on the basis of increases in the size of the group of meditators. Time series analysis controls for the possibility that increasing numbers of meditators is correlated with decreasing crime owing to common cycles and trends in both factors that are causally unrelated. A time series transfer function study of weekly data from October 1981 through October 1983 found that increases in the group participation in the TM and TM-Sidhi program at the College of Natural Law located in the District of Columbia was followed by reductions in violent crime. It was found that 76.6% of the decrease in violent crimes in the District over the two years can be attributed to the TM and TM-Sidhi program group. Changes in the percentage of young male adults in the population could not account for the results, nor could neighborhood watch programs or changes in police coverage (Dillbeck, Banus, Polanzi, & Landrith, Journal of Mind and Behavior, 9, 457-486, 1989).
• Decreased Crime in New Delhi, India: Another time series study found that a group of TM and TM-Sidhi program participants located in New Delhi from November 1980 to March 1981 produced an 11% decrease in total crime (136.34 fewer reported crimes per day) in the Union Territory of Delhi. (Dillbeck, Cavanaugh, Glenn, Orme-Johnson, & Mittlefehldt, Journal of Mind and Behavior, 8, 67-104, 1988).
• Decreased Crime in Puerto Rico: A time series study of monthly data in 1984 found 543 fewer crimes per month in Puerto Rico during months when a group of long-term TM and TM-Sidhi program participants exceeded the square root of 1% of the 3.4 million population of the island for two weeks or more during the month. In addition, the study found an increase in crime rate associated with the departure of the group. The result could not be attributed to a police vigilance program or to other causes. This study also observed an apparent attenuation of crime in Puerto Rico associated with a large assembly of 4000 TM-Sidhi program participants located at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa in July, 1984 (Dillbeck, Cavanaugh, Glenn, Orme-Johnson, & Mittlefehldt, Journal of Mind and Behavior, 8, 67-104, 1988).
• Decreased Crime in Washington, D.C. and Increased Support for the President: A critical demonstration on the effectiveness of this technology was experimentally tested on its ability to reduce crime and increase governmental effectiveness in Washington, D.C. in June and July of 1993. Washington has one of the highest levels of violent crime of any city in the world, providing a highly stressed collective consciousness for government to work in. In advance of the project, a research protocol was developed by an independent Project Review Board working with scientists at Maharishi International University. The protocol predicted decreased crime and specified time series methods, control variables, and specific statistical criteria of success for evaluating the project. In addition, the Protocol predicted improved public confidence in government. A group of 4,000 TM and TM-Sidhi program participants assembled in Washington from 82 countries. The dependent variables were daily violent crime in Washington, D.C. and weekly public opinion poll data on President Clinton. The experimental design employed Box-Jenkins time series transfer function analysis. The results showed that as the group size increased, there was a highly significant decrease in violent crime from predicted levels, reaching a 24% reduction when the group was largest; (p<2 x 10-9 for weekly data). Temperature, weekend effects, or previous trends in the data failed to account for changes. In addition, as predicted there was a highly significant improvement in President Clinton’s ratings in the public opinion polls; p<.00002 (Hagelin, Orme-Johnson, Rainforth, Cavanaugh, and Alexander, Social Indicators Research, 47, 153-201, 1999).
Studies on War and International Conflicts
• Reduced Armed Conflict and Improved Quality of Life in the Middle East: Using Box-Jenkins impact assessment, cross-correlation, and transfer function analyses, this study found that increases in a group of individuals in Jerusalem practicing Maharishi’s TM and TM-Sidhi program had a statistically significant effect on improving the quality of life in Jerusalem (reduced automobile accidents, fires, and crime), improving the quality of life in Israel (reduced crime, and increased stock market and national mood, measured by news content analysis), and reducing the war in Lebanon (fewer war deaths of all factions and decrease war intensity measured by news content analysis). The effects of high religious holidays, temperature, weekends, and other forms of seasonality were explicitly controlled for and could not account for these results. Cross-correlations and transfer functions supported a causal interpretation. This was a prospective experiment, in which the outcomes were predicted in advance. All the variables were publicly available data, and a list of the variables used in the study was posited prior to the experiment with an outside Project Review Board. (Orme-Johnson, Alexander, et al., Journal of Conflict Resolution, 32(4), 776-812, 1988; Orme-Johnson, Alexander, & Davies,Journal of Conflict Resolution, 34(4), 756-768, 1990). Hagelin, Achieving National Invincibility: A Scientific Approach. International Center for Invincible Defense website, (2007). Video link:http://www.invincibledefense.org/videos/2007_04_11_hagelin.html
• Decreased International Terrorism and Conflict: Three large assemblies of the Transcendental Meditation and Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi program participants were held from 1981-1985, ranging in length from 8-21 days, in which the group approached or exceeded the size predicted to create a global influence (approximately 7000). International conflict was measured daily for a period of time before, during, and after each of the three assemblies; the three time series analyses were generated from blind rating of news events in major international newspapers (New York Times for two assemblies, London Times for one) using a standard methodology for scoring international conflict events. A second variable studied was casualties and injuries due to international terrorism, which was received from the Rand Corporation data bank for 1983 to 1985 (aggregated in five-day periods). Capital International’s world index of stock prices was also obtained daily from mid-1983 to mid-1985 as a measure of global short-term economic confidence. Time series intervention analyses using the Akaike information criterion to objectively define optimal noise models indicated a significant decrease of 32% in international conflict during the three assemblies, a significant drop in international terrorism of 72% at five days (one observation) after the beginning of the three assemblies taken together. Control analyses conducted for previous years indicated that these results could not reasonably be attributed to year-end effects, the time of two of the assemblies. (Orme-Johnson, Dillbeck, and Alexander, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 36, pp. 283-302, 1989).
• Alleviation of Political Violence in the Lebanon War: Seven assemblies of the TM and TM-Sidhi program participants held within a two and a quarter year period in Lebanon, Israel, Yugoslavia, The Netherlands, and the U.S. were each found to have a highly significant impact on the Lebanon war, as indicated by a 66% increase in the level of cooperation among antagonists, a 48% reduction in the level of conflict, and a 68% reduction in war injuries. (Davies and Alexander, Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 17: 285-338, 2005).
Conclusion:
The military’s role is to protect its country. Wise military leaders desire the most effective technology to gain a competitive edge. What other technology actually prevents an enemy from arising? This is why the authors request that the governments of India and Pakistan implement IDT in the Kashmir region and declare it a permanent International Military “Yogic-Flying Zone.” Such a zone could also be a memorial to all the brave warriors of all countries who fought and died there. Perhaps the United Nations could designate the Kashmir region as an “international territory” in which no one country would claim ownership.
Also, both governments would be responsible for creating and maintaining Prevention Wings of the Military practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program (including Yogic Flying) in the Kashmir region. By practicing IDT together in a large group twice a day they would immediately create societal coherence and improve relations between their countries. Other militaries of the world could be invited to send their “Yogic Flying Defense Attachés” to also participate. Ideally, all countries would provide a combined total number of at least 15,000 IDT experts. This number is well over the square root of 1% of the world’s population. (For the current figure see the “Square Root of One Percent of the Population Calculator” available at:http://www.SquareRootOfOnePercent.org to check this figure as well as those for all countries). Such a large group would not only bring peace to this troubled region, but since it is well over the number of IDT experts needed to produce the Global Maharishi Effect – it lead to a phase transition to create lasting world peace.
What other solution holds such promise? IDT is a scientifically-verified and military field-tested strategy to prevent war, terrorism and crime. Decades of fighting over the Kashmir region show that a lasting peace cannot be created by standard military means alone. IDT has been proven to effortlessly and automatically settle differences in hot spots globally. Due to the danger of availability of weapons of mass destruction, India and Pakistan should immediately establish Prevention Wings of the Military to counter such threats by preventing the birth of enemies. Ultimately, all armed forces should deploy IDT in their home countries to eradicate the common enemy of collective social stress, the source of war, terrorism and crime. By these means, all countries can achieve true invincibility and create permanent world peace.
About the Authors:
Dr. Hussain Khan is a practicing advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy and was conferred the Degree of Doctor of Laws by Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland. He completed a six-month Teacher’s training course in Switzerland and is since then a teacher of Transcendental Meditation. He is National Leader for Pakistan of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s worldwide Movement for Global Peace.
David Orme-Johnson, Ph.D. is one of the principal researchers in the world on meditation and its effects, having over 100 publications, mostly in peer-reviewed journals. He was asked to review the meditation research on chronic pain and insomnia by a National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment conference. For example, he has traveled to nearly 60 countries to speak about the research on meditation to scientific conferences, the public, the press, program directors, government officials, members of Congress, parliaments, heads of state, and the United Nations.
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Kulwant Singh, U.Y.S.M., (Ret.) received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Defence Studies from Chennai University. He also has a postgraduate diploma in Human Resource Development from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi. Dr. Singh has a postgraduate diploma in Management from the Regional College of Management and Technology (RCMT). He qualified for the prestigious Higher Command Course at College of Combat and is a graduate of the Defence Service Staff College. He fought in combat and led India’s fight against its intransigent terrorism problem for nearly 30 years. Maj. Gen. Singh was awarded theUttam Yudh Sewa Medal, the second highest decoration for senior officers during operations in Sri Lanka as part of IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force). Today he is leading an international group of generals and defense experts that advocates Invincible Defense Technology.
David Leffler, Ph.D. a United States Air Force veteran, is the Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS) http://www.StrongMilitary.org. Dr. Leffler later served as an Associate of the Proteus Management Group at the Center for Strategic Leadership, US Army War College. The Journal of Management & Social Science, a peer-reviewed journal published by the Institute of Business & Technology BIZTEK in Pakistan, recently published his paper: “A New Role for the Military: Preventing Enemies from Arising – Reviving an Ancient Approach to Peace,” about the strategic advantages of applying the Invincible Defense Technology. Dr. Leffler is a certified teacher of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has told the newspaper that the Pakistan military’s ready to help in assisting its government to fight off those ethnic and political violence at Karachi.
His statement came when there are growing calls for more troops to be deployed there as over 70 people had already died since Wednesday of last week as a result of the clash between 3 political parties and their armed personnel. He said that they are ready once the government call them but he also emphasized that the situation there could still be improved with paramilitary and police force.

Kayani was also quoted that if the deteriorating law & order problem continue, it would serve as an injustice to the economy of Pakistan. Karachi has witnessed clashes amongst the political parties from Sindh, ANP, PPP, and MQM.


As stated by the Edhi rescue service it’s unfortunate that over 1,400 people died because of violence in the political and ethnic arena since this January. The military won’t be readily available for the violence in Karachi as they are also being deployed to fight al-Qaeda and Taliban at the Afghanistan border. The 3 political parties used to be partners but MQM had withdrawn its partnership. PPP and MQM are currently in talks to get back together.

Two Small Tanker Utility Ships (STUS) named Madadgar and Rasa-Dgar were commissioned in the Pakistan Navy last Tuesday, while the PNS Alamgir has been formally inducted to the fleet of the Pakistan Navy
in a ceremony that was impressively held at the Dockyard of the Pakistan Navy.
Admiral Noman Bashir was present for the occasion and was the chief guest. Other officials of Ministry of Defence were also there as well as Pakistan Navy’s flag officers, KS & EW senior management and other guests.
The PN Ships Madadgar and Rasadgar are two of the first ships of its class that are being locally constructed by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering works in Pakistan.
Pakistan Navy UAV crashes
Logistic redundancy will be increased by the induction of the two STUS to the fleet of the Pakistan Navy. These technologically advanced crafts have been designed and are equipped with its multi-faceted roles with modern and reliable machinery & equipment.

     The drone or d for surveillance, photography and reconnaissance by the 

      The drone or UAv being used for surveillance,photography and reconnaisance by the  navy. The aircraft later        was identified as the Uqab UAV.“It was a Pakistan Navy UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and it was on a routine training sortie when it was hit by a bird,” said Pakistan navy spokesman .
A drone unmanned aircraft of Pakistan crashed at the southern city in Karachi last Tuesday but no damage was reported on the ground according to naval officials and the police.

6000 Baloch recruits join Pakistan Army

Pakistan Army took, after training, 6000 Baloch recruits in a passing out ceremony.

During his speech at the passing parade of the new recruits, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that the induction of the Baloch youth should not be percieved as just giving employment opportunities to the youths of Balochistan but also fortifying the defence of the country.

NAVAL WARFARENEWS
The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Lt General Javed Zia, Commander of the Southern Command, for the excellent training instilled into the young recruits.
took place. He said that the Pakistan Navy had adviced the government to acquire five or six U.K designed and built “Upholder” submarines instead of the Agosta-90B submarines.
The naval chief during the Agosta 90B purchase, announced before a Pakistani court that the government in 1994 to 1995 made up her mind to acquire the French submarines contrary to the decision of the Pakistan Navy.
In a case against a television, it was elaborated, “The plaintiff (Admiral Saeed) in his capacity as Chief of Naval Staff did not recommend the French Agosta-90B Class submarines for acquisition by the Government of Pakistan and had in fact recommended, based on the technical and other investigations carried out by Pakistan Navy prior to 1994, the UK manufactured Upholder submarines. The reason for the recommendation was based primarily on the fact that the UK submarines were readily available and had been tested at sea whereas the French Agosta 90 B Class of submarines were yet to be manufactured being prototypes and would have taken years to be delivered. Furthermore, the Pakistan Navy had been offered five and possibly 6 UK Upholder submarines compared to three Agosta-90B class of submarines for a lesser price.”
Pakistan Navy’s decision was ignored by the Ministry of Defence and the Government of Pakistan, both of which decided to went ahead with the Agosta-90B deal.
Pakistan Navy recently was looking for a next generation submarine to equip its navy. France declared that if its Marlin Class submarine was chosen, it would provide additional economic assistance to Pakistan, far superior German U-214 boat was also a possible acquisition, but Pakistan went ahead to acquire six Qing Class submarines from China.

AIR WARFAREIt was then handed to the CIA.
Shamsi Air Base has been partially taken in control by the Pakistan Army. It was allegedly used by CIA for their drone operations. Sources say that the matters are between UAE and Pakistan which took the Shamsi Base in 1992 for hunting.
It is said that UAE and Pakistan will be discussing the matter on many levels to resolve their issues. The United States had shifted their drone operation bases to Afghanistan from Shamsi. The decision came as pressure from Pakistan has gained momentum against bases presence in their country. Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, the Defence Minister said that US was asked to vacate their air base at Shamsi.
Pakistan asked the United States to vacate their airbase after Raymond Davis was arrested. Since then, CIA has been in the Afghan soil for their drone operations.
NAVAL WARFAREbut sometimes they also go on and visit nearby countries that are friends of Pakistan in order to strengthen their bond and also to foster their brotherliness with those countries.Naveed Ashraf, the commanding officer of Pakistan naval frigate PNS Alamgir said that they have a mission for Maritime Security OperationsMedia personnel were given a tour on the board of the ship and the navy personnel acted as their guides. One guide said that the PNS Alamgir was acquired from the U.S. and was commission to Pakistan Navy in August of last year. The commissioning happened at Mayport Naval Station which is in Florida, United States. This is a deal that became the first step in the purchases of naval ship by Pakistan from the United States. They requested some modification to enhance its capabilities for naval warfare.
Pakistan Naval ships traditionally visit Kuwait out of good will, and so Pakistan Navy plays a key role in strengthening the relationship between two countries. PNS Alamgir is a 4,100 ton vessel and had been named after the Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir who was the 6th Muslim ruler for the Great Mughal Empire. It’s well equipped for the modern naval warfare.
The commanding officer of PNS Alamgir, said that the ship is fitted with 76 millimeter and 25 millimeter guns, long range, surface and air searching radars, torpedo tubes, high tech communication and navigational systems and others. He also said that he will be holding a meeting with the important members of the Kuwait Navy and other officials as well as members of Pakistani community in the area.
He also said that it’s on an anti terror and piracy mission that will be routinely patrolling the Northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman to keep the areas safe as many ships pass through there. He hoped that their visit will be reinvigorating their relations and cooperation that would benefit both countries and create an even stronger bond with each other.
He said, there are rising threats in the region and the strategy of the Pakistan Navy was dramatically changed and they made necessary preparations to keep the region safe. They are enhancing their visibility and reaching beyond their boundaries. Pakistan Navy has joined the Coalition Maritime campaigns and have been successful in conducting maritime diplomacy with presence from China to the US.
The Pakistan Navy is an effective and efficient part of the Armed Forces that is fully capable of keeping their maritime interests protected while also maintaining their deterrence. In September of 2008, the US Congress has approved the frigate transfer to Pakistan that was delivered on August of 2010. Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of the US and continues to receive needed military equipment from the United States. The frigate is already 32 years old but given a $65 million worth for refurbishment that includes the anti-submarine capability paid by the foreign military aid.
It had received a mechanical overhaul that was conducted in the United States. All the 4 diesel engines were removed and then overhauled as well as with the refrigeration and air conditioning units. The fuel oil tanks and the voids had been cleaned, repaired and then they were repainted. Other repairs and replacement were also done to the pitch propeller system, ventilators, breakers, windlass, NR3 switchboards and others. New equipment added includes the new navigation suite & bridge, composite come and a new VIP cabin.
The crew moved aboard last December after completing their training for firefighting and for damage control as well as for PMS and 3M to the US Navy PQS standards.
DEFENCE & SECURITY

People stand along with Pakistan Army

Muhammad Zahir-ul-Islam, Corps Commander Lieutenant General of the Pakistan Army, stated that the army had support and backing of the country as it has rendered sacrifices for the nation.
He stated this during the addressing of a ceremony that was held to pay homage to the high amount of sacrifices of willing victims of the Pakistan Army, here on Saturday. Islam laid a garland at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada earlier, and offered Fateha for the martyrs. The Pakistan Army always rose to the occasion, he said, be it by helping and protecting the valuable lives during various natural disasters or clearing the society off the malice of terrorism, or by simply guarding the frontiers.
The army had even participated in various United Nations missions across the globe, which made the nation proud of its services with honor, dedication, dignity and commitment, he added.
AIR WARFARE

Senate Standing Committee to seek funds for PAF

The Senate Standing Committee on Defense, that is announcing Pakistan Air Force as absolete and antique, has asked the government to issue essential finances for making it a lively, youthful and contemporary force.
The committee was told that due to the Ministry of Finance, many defense projects were in complete still stand. During this, a meeting of the defense committee, presented by Chairman Javed Ashraf Qazi, was held at the Parliament House on Saturday, in which Secretary Defense and Production Israr Ghuman, along with heads of Defense production department were present at. The committee was informed on performance of the departments and their problems.
Chairman Committee stated to the media after attending the media that the defense departments have not been issued necessary funds by the Finance Ministry due to which many projects are lying in anticipation of its start.
As stated by him, many projects of the Pakistan Ordinance Factory, including the manufacturing of JF-17 Thunder Fighter jets, are lying pending. The A5 planes have started by substituting the JF-17 thunder fighters, and will soon start to exchange for the mirage fighter jets. He also stated that 18 new JF-17 thunder fighter jets would be manufactured this year, and that the Air force, at present, has a high amount of 30 to 40 year planes. The F-16 planes however are also 20 to 25 years old, which means that there is no critical need to turn the force into a lively and youthful version of itself.
He said that the defense production departments are not financially liberated, but have their own boards, and they require authorization from the Finance Ministry before any conclusion can be made, and this process can take a very long while. They even need permission from the Finance Ministry to display their products at air shows and international presentations, and that is often not granted.
Everything these department earns is deposited in the national exchequer, and these departments are therefore pretty much money making organizaitons.
The choice to call for the heads of all departments of defense and Finance ministry officials has been made by the committee that became aware of the circumstances.
He stated that Pakistan’s defense sector is making a lot of progress in terms of technology. The wireless defense systems of Pakistan are now advanced enough to block frequency jammers of the enemy.

Update on Pakistan’s Link-16 capabiltiy
The order for the system, stated by TCG, came from the U.S. Air Forces’ ESC (Electronics Systems Center).
The Pakistan Air Force will acquire a system for ground support from the Tactical Communications Group of Massachusetts.
The GSS solution, provided by TCG, will allow pilots to support commercial-off-the-shelf capability to support Link 16 simulation training. This can be done by virtualizing the operations and certain situational awareness on Pakistani F-16 aircraft.
The Pakistan Air Force will be able to connect to airborne networks by using the GSS. This is done with low cost and conduct efficient, yet effective training of aviation personnel and network operators.
The system will be able to provide certain options regarding growth and additional data link networking for operations and maintenance training. This is virtualized for use on the system and its components in southeastern Pakistan.
“This customer win signifies the grip TCG’s systems are receiving in the international military arena,” said TCG CEO Officer Ed Durkin. “For an affordable price, we are providing the Pakistan Air Force best possible ground link 16 capabilities.”
WARFAREEWS
Pakistan tests Raad air-to-surface cruise missile
“TCG’s GSS solution, compared to its proven COTS Ground Tactical Data Link System, is a mere extension, and was chosen because of its comprehensive operational and training design, not to mention its capabilities.”
The in 2001 founded Tactical Communications Group, is an independent worldwide supplier of tactical data link software solutions for the military.
In Pakistan, a successful Flight Test of the natively developed Air Launched Cruise Missile, Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad), has been conducted performed.
Due to the ongoing process of developing better technical parameters of the weapon system, the test was performed. The newly developed Ra’ad missile has a range of over 350 km, and has been exclusively developed to launch from Aerial Platforms.
The missile makes use of Cruise Technology. This technology is extremely complex however, and only a few specific countries in the world have been able to develop it. This new system allows Pakistan to expand their possibilities on grounds of strategic standoff capability on land and at sea.
The Ra’ad has access to state of the art technology such as Stealth. It’s flies on a low altitude, ‘Hugging Terrain’ with high maneuverability, and has the ability to pinpoint targets with high accuracy, by using nuclear and conventional warheads.
The President, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee have appreciated the successful launch of the missile, and have congratulated the engineers and scientists on their amazing achievement.

AIR WARFARE

Pak Govt wants PAF to be a “leading air force”

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani stated that his government wants to turn the Pakistan Air Force into a modernized and leading air force of the world.
This statement was made during his conversation with the Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, who called upon Gilani at the Prime Minister’s House. He gave assurance to the Pakistan Air Force’s chief government that he’ll offer complete support to make sure the project, initiated by the air force, will be successfully completed. Qumar Suleman further elaborated about the activities of the operation, and some additional ongoing projects that he PAF has undertaken.

LAND WARFARE
The countries decided to execute joint exercises at the conclusion of the 5th Trlateral Summit in December 2010, according to a statement from the Pakistan army’s Inter-Services Public Relations.
Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan armies have begun a week-long trilateral joint military exercise at Tuzla, Turkey.
The joint exercises involve MOUT (Military operations in urban terrain) against terrorists.
Basic and battle order training, combat order, fighting in built-up, handmade explosives training and training controls are included in the event also.
Special teams of the three countries comprising sniper and anti-tank detachments undertook this exercise. According to the statement, the purpose of this training session is to share military knowledge and to strengthen the military coordination between the three countries.
This is the first time in which the three countries are executing a trilateral exercise on Turkish soil.
The exercises began with an announcement from Afghan President Hamid Karzar, who spoke about the phased handover of security responsibilities from the foreign troops to Afghan forces. Karzai pointed out a number of areas, where the Afghan National Army will take security responsibility.

Pakistan Navy foiled first-ever piracy attempt in Pak

Friday was a great day for the Pakistan Navy as they in cooperation with the multinational naval Combined Task Force, successfully stopped the first-ever piracy attempted in Pakistan’s territorial sea.
The pirates attacked on the Philippine Commercial flag vessel MV FALCON TRADE-II which operates in the Southern extremity of the Pakistan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
An official spokesperson of the Pakistan Navy stated that this was the first time a piracy attempt was reported and countered in EEZ of Pakistan.
A spokesman for Pakistan Navy said that this was the first time a piracy attempt was recorded and countered in EEZ of Pakistan.
Earlier, at the multi-national naval exercise Aman-11 from March 8 to March 12, the Pakistan Navy reported that it has adopted special measures in order to tackle the issue of piracy attacks against merchant vessels in the Indian Ocean as this has become a frequent threat near the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan.
The PN Spokesperson spoke further about the entire anti-piracy operation. On the 24th March, the PN intercepted communications of a pirates attack on a Philippine flag vessel with 20 personnel onboard. The PN immediately contacted the Pakistan Navy’s Ship Babur with embarked helicopter and Maritime Patrol Aircraft to acquire the position of the pirate boats.
Special Operating Force (SOF) onboard fast boats, specifically tuned for counter piracy operations were also sent to tackle the pirates. PNS Babur, in a close liaison with CTF-151 and the assistance of US Ship tasked by CTF-151, confined the pirates, who failed to enter the enclosed citadel boundary of the merchant ship.
Thanks to the fast action of the Pakistan Navy and CTF-151, the pirates were forced to abort the operation and flee. Currently the merchant vessel is safe and under control of its crew.
The PN said it continued to maintain a constant watch on its sea territories and it is ready to respond to any situation at sea.

The frigate was acquired by Pakistan Navy from the United States. The ship is formerly known as the USS McINERNEY (FFG-8) and was commissioned in the Pakistan Navy as the PNS ALAMGIR (FFG-260) on August, 31, 2010 during a huge ceremony at the Mayport, Naval Station. The ceremony was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani. After commissioning, the PNS ALAMGIR underwent modernization and refurbishment and the BAE System Shipyard in Jacksonville Florida. 18 officers and 218 CPO/ Sailors underwent a series of training sessions to be able to operate the ship.
The first Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) frigate set sail for Pakistan on Monday.
The Ship Transfer and Assistance Team (STAT) contributed greatly in the training. The Pakistan Crew’s stay in the US, not only contributed to the better understanding on issues of mutual concern, but also strengthened the relations between the two nations. Captain Naveed Ashraf T.Bt TI(M) was announced as the first Commanding Officer of the PNS ALAMGIR.
The ship set sail for Pakistan on Monday, after the completion of the final trials and cre workup. The ship is scheduled to stop at Bermuda (UK), Azores (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Golcuk (Turkey), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Salalah (Oman) and would eventually reach Pakistan on 13 May 2011.
The PNS ALAMGIR will be a part of the 18th Frigate Squadron of the Pakistan Navy Fleet. Pakistan has become one of the important members of Global War on Terror (GWOT). Due to Pakistani government’s decision to fight terrorism, the Pakistan Navy joined the maritime coalition against terrorism which is led by the US. At the moment the Navy participates in the Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) which is one of the maritime components of the Global War on Terrorism. The CMCP encompasses operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The coalition forces work under the command of United States Naval Forces Central Command (US NAVCENT). The responsibility areas include the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.
Despite the strong resource constraints, the Pakistan Navy has always been a number one participant in the CMCP. The Pakistan Navy was the first regional navy to form a part of the CMCP and has greatly contributed its assents to ensuring stability and peace in the region. The Pakistan Navy has so far contributed one frigate to Task Force 150 (TF-150) and a Type-21 frigate to Task Force 151 (TF-151).
The Pakistan Navy has commanded TF-150 f our times and is currently in charge of the TF-151 off the coast of Somalia, where they are countering piracy. Pakistan is also the first non-NATO country to command a Task Force.
The Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates are being used by a lot of navies and their main strength is conducting Maritime Security Operations which have become the main concern of the nations. The PNS ALAMGIR is scheduled to augment Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Sea. Another of its goals is to support the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet.
The PNS ALAMGIR has been named after Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir who was the sixth Muslim Ruler of Great Mughal Empire and is known to be one of the most fierce and experienced warriors, who protected his territories and was the Empire’s leader for nearly 50 years. Thanks to him the influence of the Mughal Empire was spread to the entire Indian Sub-continent.

Pakistan Air Force on track
Pakistan inducted the new Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 52+ fighters in their Air Force, while in the mean time the next two full-strength squadrons of Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 Thunders are close to becoming fully functional.
According to the service, the 17 F-16 Block 52+ fighters were inducted into the 5th Squadron on March 11. The final aircraft of the 18-unit deal is still being tested in the USA and is scheduled to arrive some time next month.
The new batch of the aircraft features 12 single-seat C-model versions and six two-sweat F-16Ds. The air force also states that it is negotiating with the USA for additional Block 52+ fighters due to a point in the contract which contained an option for extra 18 aircraft.
The new F-16s are being powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-229 engines. One of the other systems implemented in the F16 is Northrop Grumman’s mechanically scanned APG-68(V)9 radar and ITT’s ALQ-211(V)9 advanced integrated defensive electronic warfare suite.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency also offered a weapons package which included 500 Raytheon AIM-120C5 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, 200 short-range AIM-9M-8/9 Sidewinders, 1600 enhanced GBU-12/24 laser-guided bombs, 500 Boeing joint direct attack munitions and 700 BLU-109 penetrator bombs.
There is also a mid-life upgrade scheduled for the 34 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft. Some of the fighters will be upgraded in Turkey, while others in Pakistan. The project is most likely to be completed by 2012.
Zeng Wen, vice-president of the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) stated at Air Show China, that Pakistan had 50 firm orders for the JF-17, but in the end they could buy up to 200.
The JF-17s will be used to replace fighters like the Dassault Mirage III, Mirage 5, Nanchang A-5 and the Chengdu F-7. All A-5s will be decommissioned in early April.
China and Pakistan have been known to cooperate on the development of the JF-17. Pakistan began the assembling in 2009 and can implement Western avionics, radars and various other systems in the JF-17 by 2012.

Pakistan tests Hataf-2 Abdali Ballistic Missile
The test was a part of the process of validation and technical improvements for the Land Based Ballistic Missile Systems which are deployed by the Pakistan Army. The Hataf-2 Abdali missiles have a range of 180 kilometers and can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. This specific missile characterizes with amazing accuracy which, however, influences the range.
Pakistan successfully fired the short range Surface to Surface (STS) Hataf-2 Abdali ballistic missile.
The test was attended by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lieutenant General Jamil Haider, Chairman SUPARCO Major General Ahmed Bilal, Senior officers from the Armed Forces and Scientists and Engineers of Strategic Organizations.
According to CJCSC this test will help Pakistan improve their strategic defensive capabilities and further strengthen the country’s national security. The Abdali weapons system gives Pakistan an operational level capability which adds to the new strategic level capability which Pakistan possesses along with the the long and medium range missile systems.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani were also happy for the successful test and didn’t hesitate to congratulate the Scientists and Engineers which are behind the development of this outstanding success.

Pakistan Air Force Squadron No. 5 recieves F-16s
A ceremony for the 5th Squadron was held at the PAF’s base Shahbaz in Jacobadad. Many important guests attended like Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman.
One of Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) historical squadrons which was until now equipped with Mirage aircraft has gone through a big change as new F-16 C/D Block 52+ aircraft were inducted.
The Squadron color was presented to the commander of the squadron during the ceremony and later on a formation of F-16 Block 52 and Mirage aircraft presented a fly-past. Gen Kayani praised the PAF for its efforts in the war against terrorism. Pakistan’s army has been battling terrorism since 2004 and since then a lot of operations have been conducted thanks to the support of the PAF.
Air Chief Marshal Suleman held a speech about the future development of the Air Force and how the first decade of the 21st century has seen PAF transform into a modern and fierce force. The focus of PAF is to back off form the traditional threat-based development and instead try to develop the enhancement of their capabilities. PAF has done a lot to cover all air-warfare areas and be able to overcome any challenges.
The induction of Block 52 F-16s, aerial re-fuellers, multi-layered air defence system and the air borne early warning the PAF has enhanced its capabilities to respond to any threats which the nation may face.

Pakistan Navy seeks 6 joint-development submarines
 
The reason for that is, because Pakistan is seeking for ways to strengthen its under-sea warfare capabilities.
Pakistan is planning of buying six more submarines with options for joint development of future submarines with China.
For now it is unknown what the class of the submarines is, but according to anonymous information Islamabad required an advanced under-sea vessel with air independent propulsion (AIP) system. This system will give the submarine the capability of staying submerged for longer and operating noiselessly.
The federal Cabinet of China was asked by the Defence Ministry to approve the purchase of the submarines in order to counter the “rising threats” for Pakistan. At the moment the Pakistan Navy has five active diesel electric submarines and 3 midget submarines. The submarines include Agosta-90b which are going to be equipped with MESMA AIP system, and Agosta-70.
Pakistan’s Defence Ministry informed the Cabintet for the force imbalance in the country’s Navy when it comes to the number of ships and submarines used in the fleet. The Navy is planning to acquire six AIP conventional submarines which will be able to operate in multi-threat environment under tropical conditions. After this deal is approved, the Pakistan Navy and China Shipbuilding and Offshore Corporation are expected to sign a contract for the joint development and production of submarines.
The “urgent naval requirements” aren’t discussed for the first time as they were an issue discussed by President Asif Ali Zaradari during his visit to China in 2009. This problem was also discussed during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visitation to Pakistan in December 2010.
The Naval Headquarters are pursuing the purchase of submarines from Chinese authorities due to the fact that they will receive full firm support for the submarine project. According to the proposed contract, four submarines will be manufactured at a Chinese Shipyard while the other two will be constructed in Pakistan.
The Co-development will not only include projecting and manufacturing, but also training of Pakistani personnel, upgrades of Pakistan Navy’s shipyard and other things. At the moment Pakistan is finalizing a deal of inducting 36 J-10 fighter aircraft from China in a deal which has an estimated worth of over USD 1.4 billion.
Islamabad and Beijing are also collaborating to build an advanced fighter — JF-17 or ‘Thunder’.

NAVAL WARFARE

Construction of Fast Attack Craft starts for Pakistan Navy

On Tuesday, China formally started the manufacturing of two state-of-the-art fast attack missile crafts for the Pakistan Navy.
These crafts are an addition to a couple of naval frigates which are being built for the strategic partner.
The ceremony of the Fast Attack Craft FAC(M) of Pakistan Navy was held at Xinggang Shipyard. The Pakistan navy has signed a contract with Offshore International Company Limited (CSOC) & China Shipbuilding for the construction of the two modern missile crafts which will be geared with the latest sensors and weapons.
The Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz Ahmed of the Pakistan Navy attended the ceremony. The arrangement states that one of the crafts will be built in Tianjin while the other one will be manufactured in Pakistan’s Karachi docks. The first craft was expected to be inducted in the force last October. At the moment there is no information about the financial agreements on this deal.
China is a major weapons system supplier to Pakistan and it is deeply involved in a series of defence projects with its ally. This includes the joint development of the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet which will be manufactured by both countries with engines supplied by Russia.
A couple of naval frigates for the Pakistan Navy are also being constructed in china and at the moment three of them have been inducted into service. The fourth one is still being manufactured in the Karachi Shipyard.

AIR WARFARE

Pakistan Air Force modernization plans

According to officials, Pakistan is negotiating with the U.S to purchase more Lockheed Martin F-16s in addition to the ones which they already have.
In the same time Pakistan is developing its defense manufacturing capabilities in order to reduce its dependency on U.S.
Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleman announced the purchase while attending an air chiefs’ conference. Rao was asked how many aircraft does Pakistan want and he declined to specify a number, but said that all purchases are still in the negotiating stage and nothing is sure.
During 2006 the U.S. Congress agreed on giving Pakistan 28 F-16C/Ds under an excess defence articles scheme. Recently, Pakistan received the first 14 of 28 and according to Rao there is no information when these aircraft will arrive.
At the moment Pakistan’s Air force has a total of 63 F-16/S (45 A/Bs and 18 C/Ds). All of the A/Bs are scheduled to go through a midlife upgrade in order to become C/D aircraft. At the moment the first three of all A/Bs are undergoing the upgrade at Turkish Aero Space Industries (TAI). Rao expects that all of the aircraft will be upgraded by 2013/14. Rao added that four other F-16s were sent to the U.S for technical verification in order to develop the upgrade kits for TAI.
Pakistan is allied not only with the U.S, but also with China which allows them to produce JF-17 fighters at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. The fighters are jointly developed by Pakistan and China.
Rao stated that since he became chief of air staff, he has put a lot of efforts in increasing Pakistan’s manufacturing capability of defensive installations. This is very important for the country’s future, because it will allow it to become independent of the sanctions and embargoes which U.S has set on it.
The 2nd squadron of JF-17s will become flyable by the end of the March and will simultaneously phase out all Nanchang A-5s ground attack aircraft which Pakistan bought from China.
According to Rao, The Chengdu F-7s and Dassault Mirages will also be replaced by the JF-17s due to the fact that these planes have aged way too much to be safe to fly and in the same time usable in modern warfare. Rao was also asked about the datalinks which will connect F-16s and JF-17s. He responded that Pakistan is working on developing its own solution for this problem. The datalink will be able to send information from the JF-17 to a ground station and from there via special interface the information will be transferred to the F-16s.
Pakistan doesn’t only have various fighter types, but also different models of early warning and control aircraft. At the moment the country has three Saab Erieye aircraft and is expected to receive a fourth one by the mid of 2011. The first Shaanxi ZDK-03 is expected to arrive in the same time. Pakistan has ordered a total of four of these aircraft. Pakistan also has major requirements for its UAVs. The Italian Selex Galileo Falco UAV are currently being used in Pakistan and the government has agreed with the company to manufacture some UAVs in Pakistan which will allow them to export them through the local market. The production of these aircraft is expected to being in 2011.

DEFENCE & SECURITY

Turkey to help Pakistan on evacuation from Libya

Turkey and Pakistan have allied on the goal of rescuing the thousands of Pakistani expatriates which are stranded in Libya.
According to official sources the Pakistan has declared its embassy in Ankara as a local centre to rescue Pakistani people with the use of the services of the Turkish shipping lines. This variant of the rescuing operations has risen after a meeting of President Zardari and his Turkish counterpart during a recent visit to Kuwait. The Pakistanis who are wishing to leave Libya will be transported by ships to Turkey and from there they will be transported to Pakistan via air ways. The reason for this is the suspension of the the Libyan air services due to the crisis in the African country.
In the mean time, President Asif-Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have directed the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Foreign Sectratary Salman Banshir to ensure the safety of the Pakistani people who are to be transported out of Libya. According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Tehmina Janjua since the implementation of this extradition method, the ministry of foreign affairs has set up a Special Task Force which constantly follows the situation in Libya.
At the moment the evacuation of Pakistanis by air, sea or land is being performed for all who wish to leave Libya. According to her, a group of Pakistanis have already reached Tunisia and are scheduled to be evacuated to Pakistan via the Pakistani embassy in Tunis.

DEFENCE & SECURITY

Pakistan and China to cooperate on defence

The top Pakistan and Chinese defense officials held a meeting where the new projects to expand their military cooperation, were discussed.
The timely completion of the current projects was also an important part of the meeting.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Pakistan Army Gen Khalid Shameem Wynne met Administrator of China”s State Administration of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence Chen Qiufa discussed the issues related to defense cooperation and the present and future projects that the two countries are involved together.
General Wynne is in China to take part in the eight round of Pakistan-China security dialogue and he publicly thanked Chen Qiufa for the support in all defense projects and showed his appreciation for the active of SASTING in ensuring the timely completion of all current joint projects.
At the moment the major supplier of weapon systems for Pakistan – China, is being involved in a list of defense projects which include the development of the new modern fighter – The JF-17 Thunder which is currently being produced in both countries and the engines for the fighters are being supplied by the Russian military.
China is also involved in the construction of Naval Frigates for the Pakistan Navy which has so far received three of those frigates and the fourth one is currently being constructed in the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works with the cooperation of the Chinese navy.
Last year, the Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Norman Bashir stated that the country was interested in the joint development of war ships and submarines. AT the moment it is unknown if those proposals were discussed in the talks between Wynne and Chinese defense officials. The two countries have also cooperated in the development of Al-Khalid tanks.
At the moment the China’s defense ties with Pakistan are very important for the country and they are doing everything they can to augment their good relations.
China is ready to contribute with the development of the mechanism of defense and security talks, deepen strategic cooperation and ensure the peace, stability and common development of Pakistan.

Pakistan Navy to participate in Aman 11 exercise

The Pakistan Navy has augmented its patrols in the Arabian Sea in order to strengthen the security there, because of the rising terror and piracy threats.
The Navy is scheduled to participate in a 5-day naval exercise – The “Aman 11”. 39 countries will participate in this exercise and it will be launched from the 8th of March in the open sea. Similar exercises were held in 2007 and 2009 and the navies of very powerful countries participated in them.
The exercise in the open sea will greatly help the Pakistan Navy to assess its preparations to overcome the challenges in the region.
At the moment the security of the Arabian Sea is one of the most discussed topics in the world due to the fact that most of the world’s oil supply passes through there. The world military powers have taken the liberty to ensure the security of the Sea and the safe passing of the transporting ships.
Due to the rising threats in the region, the Pakistan Navy’s strategy was drastically change and preparations were made in order to ensure the safety of the country’s interests in the region.
The latest platforms are being indigenized and inducted in the Pakistan Navy in order to turn it into a potent force which will easily guard its sea territory. At the moment the PN is constructing frigates and missile boats, while earlier it has bought technology for Agosta class submarines.
More than 30,000 ships pass through the Arabian Sea each year and the Navies of NATO, EU and individual countries have taken the liberty to present their forces in this area and ensure the safety of the passing transport ships.
LAND WARFARE

15 Militants Killed by Pakistani Troops

Pakistani troops claim of killing 15 militants during a pre-drawn battle near the Afghanistan border on Sunday.
The battle took place in the Mohmand tribal area, where the Pakistani Military is focusing on cleaning out Taliban insurgents.
According to local officials, the confrontation started when around 40 militants attacked a security checkpoint which made the Pakistani troops launch an instant counter-attack against the hostiles. According to the United Nations the constant fighting between government troops and Taliban insurgents has caused tens of thousands of people to leave their homes in northwest Pakistan. Predictions of the U.N refugee agency show that the number of displaced people will reach at least 90,000 by the end of February 2011.

AIR WARFARE

Raytheon discussing pilot training with Pakistan

The US defence major Raytheon has just won a competition for a $42.8 million contract to train the Afghan airforce pilots in the Middle East.
This is the first contract of this type in the region.
According to Vice President of Raytheon, Kevin Massengill, the company is also negotiating for the training of Pakistan pilots as well. Massengill said that the contract has been signed and the training will take place in an Arab Gulf country. However, he declined naming the country where the training programme will be performed. The entire programme is expected to last a couple of months by the end of which, the Afghanistan army will have a batch of well-trained pilots.
DEFENCE & SECURITY

President Zardari assures Armed Forces of support

President Asif Ali Zaradi promised that despite the financial problems, the government will do all things necessary to satisfy the needs of the armed forces.
He said that during a meeting with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Khalid Shameem Wynne.
The CJCSC briefly informed the President about the issues of the armed forces, the latest information about the war on terrorism and the security situation in the country.
According to the President, the Pakistan Armed Forces are highly devoted to their job and they are one of the best armies in the world. The Pakistan Army is currently a leading force in the fight against terrorism.
In the mean time, General Juse Julio Rodriguez Fernandez, Chief of Defense Staff of the Spanish Armed Forces was visiting Pakistan and held a couple of meetings with the leaders of the Pakistani army. There they discussed the issues of the military and the areas of mutual interest. During Fernandez’s meeting with the CJCSC, the question for the mutual cooperation between the two armies was discussed.