Pakistan does not want arms race in the region, says Zardari

KARACHI: Pakistan is a peace-loving country that does not want an arms race in the region, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday.




The president made the comments while addressing a passing-out parade of the Pakistan Naval Academy (PNA). However, he said, "Our desire for peace must not be taken as a sign of weakness ... our armed forces are ready to meet all challenges ... our forces are ready to meet all the challenges and guard [the country] against all external and internal threats". He also said that the country must remain prepared to face any threat to sovereignty. He said it was "our duty" to fight external and internal enemies disrupting country's peace and progress. Zardari also said that the Pakistan People's Party would not disappoint the nation.




He said a strong navy was necessary to meet challenges to maritime security. He said the Pakistan Navy was following a path of self-reliance, and the construction of submarines within the country was a significant step in this context. He also called for the optimum use of the national resources. "The country is facing new challenges to its security ... extremism is a big threat to our existence. We need united national commitment to fight and defeat militancy," he said, adding that the current government had given political ownership to the war on terror.




He said the Pakistan Navy's participation in the Coalition Maritime Campaign (CMCP) had improved country's capability to check the smuggling of arms and drugs and human trafficking. He said the campaign had also improved Pakistan's capacity to fight militancy.




The president urged young naval officers to dedicate themselves to their profession and guard the maritime boundaries of the country. He said he had been pleased to learn that the Pakistan Naval Academy was training cadets from Kazakhistan, Maldives, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan. He said he was particularly pleased to note that women officers were also part of the pass out parade. He said women's presence at the ceremony reflected the policy of the government to encourage women to play their role in all areas of the national progress. app