VANGUARD OF MARITIME SECURITY

Pakistan is blessed with a coastline of over 1000 km along the northern shores of the Arabian Sea. Sea lanes transiting to and from Pakistani ports are the lifeline of our economy, as 95% of the country’s trade and 100% of oil imports are through the sea. Furthermore, people residing along the coast in Sindh and Balochistan primarily depend upon fishing for their livelihood. The Exclusive Economic Zone and Extended Continental Shelf of Pakistan are also rich in natural resources.

Along with the opportunities offered by its maritime zones, Pakistan’s location is pivotal, astride the Gulf of Oman, through which merchant traffic central to global economic growth traverses. Thus, it is vital to ensure peace and stability within Pakistan’s waterways for the country’s prosperity. However, the interconnectivity offered by the sea also necessitates regional maritime security for one’s own well-being and the global economy. Pakistan Navy is the most effective instrument for preserving maritime security and the maritime interests of the country.

Realizing the necessity of having credible maritime prowess, the Pakistan Navy (PN) has steadily transformed into a well-balanced and formidable force, equipped with state-of-the-art platforms, robust infrastructure and a highly motivated workforce. The recent induction of advanced Type 054 A/P frigates from China, MILGEM class corvettes from Türkiye, and state-of-the-art OPVs, along with a variety of manned and unmanned aerial platforms, has significantly enhanced PN capabilities to confront threats across the entire conflict spectrum.

Beyond safeguarding Pakistan’s maritime frontiers against conventional threats, the Pakistan Navy has also committed itself to a range of constabulary and benign operations to counter an evolving array of challenges in today’s complex maritime security environment. The current maritime security landscape in the region is increasingly diverse, with a host of sub-conventional threats, prominently terrorism, piracy, narcotics/arms smuggling, illegal fishing, etc.

While it is impossible to state the implications of these diverse maritime security challenges on Pakistan’s blue economy in a few lines, it is imperative to highlight that a safe and secure maritime environment is vital for Pakistan’s prosperity and development. Moreover, as stated above, non-traditional threats are transnational and necessitate regional and international collaborative efforts. In pursuit of the Government’s foreign policy, the Pakistan Navy has always remained committed to contributing effectively towards collaborative efforts against non-traditional threats.
As a responsible maritime nation, Pakistan plays a critical role in promoting security and stability across the region. The near-permanent deployment of Pakistan Navy units in critical areas of the Indian Ocean has been instrumental in ensuring a secure environment and contributes to ensuring freedom of navigation through some of the world’s most crucial maritime routes.

Pakistan Navy has taken several initiatives towards regional maritime security independently and as part of regional maritime security constructs. One of the highlights is the PN’s participation in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a partnership of 46 nations formed to promote security, stability and prosperity in the Western Indian Ocean within approximately 3.2 million square miles. The forces operating as part of the CMF are focused on countering illicit activities of non-state actors in the international waters of this region, significant being narcotics smuggling and piracy. It is the coalition of willingness, and participation is voluntary, ranging from the deployment of ships and aircraft to the attachment of liaison officers at HQ CMF.

One of the dominant aspects of this growing partnership is that ship deployment remains within the bounds of national mandates/laws at all times while tasking units of participating nations. The significance of this enduring participation can be visualized by the fact that two new members, Argentina and Sweden, have joined CMF in the last two months. CMF’s efforts are also well acknowledged in the region, and it has partnerships with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) etc.

Pakistan Navy has been an active member of the CMF since 2004. PN Ships on Regional Maritime Security Patrol in critical sea areas of the region are regularly deployed for CMF operations. Moreover, PN aircraft are also flown to update the Recognized Maritime Picture in the Area of Operation and enhance situational awareness for the effective conduct of CMF operations. Pakistan Navy is among the leading nations that provide ships and aircraft supporting the CMF. Moreover, PN Officers have regularly commanded Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) and Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151). Currently, PN is in command of CTF-150 for the 13th time.

Being located on the northern shores of the Arabian Sea, Pakistan brings rich knowledge and expertise/experience regarding the CMF Area of Operation. Moreover, PN’s participation in CMF Operations is vital for maintaining a safe and secure environment within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, promoting maritime trade to and from Pakistan and ensuring regional maritime security within the global commons. It also contributes to elevating PN’s stature as one of the responsible and effective forces within the region, which is always willing to enhance its ties with friendly navies and jointly operate for a common cause. The participation also enhances overall readiness and PN preparedness for a broader range of maritime operations and missions.

These participations have enabled the PN to improve its procedures, and the PN, along with PMSA Ships, have been regularly interdicting narcotics smuggling in the North Arabian Sea. Proactive PN deployment in the North Arabian Sea has also deterred miscreants from exploiting the maritime domain for their nefarious designs. Moreover, PN Ships are generally the first responders in providing assistance at sea or in coastal areas of Pakistan in case of any natural calamity or manmade disaster. PN’s participation in CMF is mutually beneficial as it enables PN to operate jointly with partner navies against common threats while remaining within the bounds of the Government’s directions and national preferences.

In today’s operating environment, it is vital to maintain strong linkages with regional and international navies, as no nation can counter sub-conventional threats alone. Due to the interconnectivity and vastness of oceans, collaborative maritime security remains essential for all navies worldwide. These collaborative efforts facilitate the optimization of naval operations against non-traditional threats and permit joint utilization of each other’s expertise to counter these non-traditional threats effectively. Pakistan will continue collaborating with its partners to play a positive and constructive role in maintaining order at sea.

Pakistan Navy firmly believes that collaborative efforts are pivotal for ensuring a secure maritime environment, a prerequisite for legitimate maritime activities to flourish and profoundly contribute towards national development and progress