Today (Friday) is Pakistan Navy Day, a day set aside to honour those who gave their lives in sacrifice and to remember the Pakistan Navy’s outstanding performance in the 1965 Pak-Indo War against a much larger and cunning adversary.
According to a Pakistan Navy (PN) news release, the Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi said in his message for Navy Day that on this day, we recognise the sacrifices of our Shuhada and Ghazis and honour their bravado and valiant spirit, which boosted national morale during the 1965 War against a sinister foe.
During Operation Dwarka, also known by the codename “Operation Somnath,” the Pakistan Navy destroyed a radio beacon and an Indian radar station at Dwarka, among other significant shore installations.
The attack by the PN Flotilla caught the adversary off guard and dealt the Indian Navy a serious morale blow that not only rattled its defences but also paralysed its response.
Additionally, the PN submarine Ghazi, which posed a serious threat, severely restricted and confined the Indian Navy’s operations close to the coast.
Along with ensuring its own maritime defence, the Pakistan Navy also keeps a constant presence in international waters, collaborates with other regional navies to promote interoperability, and promotes maritime security at sea.
As a result, the Pakistan Navy is acquiring cutting-edge capabilities to address new security challenges as well as enhancing existing capabilities to become a powerful, quick, and reliable force in the region.
In the current climate, the Pakistan Navy has also started nation-building projects, focusing on improving coastal communities, and is working hard to support the blue economy. In this regard, in partnership with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Pakistan Navy organised Pakistan’s first-ever Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC) in February of this year.
There were 121 local and 22 foreign exhibitors at PIMEC, demonstrating the fervent interest in developing Pakistan’s maritime sector’s enormous untapped potential.
Additionally, the Pakistan Maritime Science and Technology Park (PMSTP), which was established by the Pakistan Navy, held its pilot at the Bahria University Karachi Campus earlier this month.
Through the collaboration of industry, state institutions, foreign technology companies, and academic institutions, PMSTP aims to concentrate on maritime education, research, innovation, and technology development. These initiatives are concentrated on the growth of the “blue economy,” which has enormous potential and, if given the attention it merits, could significantly boost the overall health of our country’s economy.
Let’s honour our Shuhada and Ghazis for their supreme sacrifices made for the country today as we observe Navy Day. The Pakistan Navy’s officers, CPOs, sailors, and civilians reaffirm their commitment to defending the motherland and preserving maritime interests in the face of all dangers and difficulties. (Ameen.) May Allah be our guide and protector. He concluded, “PAKISTAN NAVY ZINDABAD, PAKISTAN PAINDABAD.
