KARACHI: Pakistan Navy’s Chief of Staff Vice-Admiral Asif Sandila on Tuesday visited the Forward Operating Bases in the creek areas and received a detailed briefing on PN operational capabilities and various other issues.According to a PN release, the admiral also met the officers and troops posted in the region, where several large creeks like Sir Creek, Pir Sanai Creek, Pabewari Creek, Vianwari Creek, Koori Creek and Deveri Creek, besides numerous drains, are vulnerable to infiltration. Sir Creek has remained a bone of contention between Pakistan and India.The rescue and relief operation carried out by the PN during the recent floods has strengthened its case for tactical equipment — such as UAVs, night-vision devices and military hardware to enhance its rapid response capability in war and peace.
According to sources, PN is trying to get more hovercraft, weapons and night vision devices to enable itself to monitor intrusions by hostile forces. Navy has already apprised the relevant quarters of its UAVs need for tracking down and rescue Pakistani fishermen in distress along the Makran coast and for night patrolling to check intrusion in the creek areas. PN has also proposed formation a joint maritime security organisation in which it could coordinate security-related activities of the stakeholders like the Karachi Port, Bin Qasim Port, Gawadar Port, Maritime Security Agency, Coast Guards, Fisheries, Customs etc.Admiral Sandila also visited Sujawal where he inaugurated the second phase of a model village being developed by the PN for flood-affected people. In this phase, 40 houses will be constructed for affected families.Commander Marines gave him a detailed account of the rehabilitation plan and said that the construction work in phase-II would be complete within six to eight weeks.Later, the admiral visited the houses built during the first phase. He also interacted with the internally displaced families and assured them of PN’s continued support till their complete rehabilitation – Dawn
