93rd naval commissioning parade

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93rd naval commissioning parade ​

By our correspondent
Karachi

The 93rd Pakistan Navy officers’ commissioning parade was held at the Pakistan Naval Academy at Manora on Friday, with Federal Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar attending as chief guest.

Chief of the Naval Staff (CONS) Admiral Noman Bashir, senior officers from the three services, foreign delegates, diplomats and parents of the commissioning officers were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, the defence minister said that Pakistan is a peace-loving country, and we are willing to go an extra mile to resolve all contentious issues with our neighbours through negotiation and dialogue. However, this desire for peace must not be taken as a sign of weakness, he said.

Mukhtar claimed that the country was not for an open arms race in the region, and all efforts are focused on the legitimate defence needs for the promotion of peace. The minister said that Pakistan is located on the crossroads of major civilizations, and this unique geo-strategic and geo-economical location demands enhanced efforts to regional and global security.

“Pakistan is actively participating in global efforts against forces which intend to disrupt world peace and security. In this context, the Pakistan Navy’s continuous participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) has been internationally acknowledged and is indeed commendable”, he added.

The chief guest urged the commissioning officers to wholeheartedly devote themselves to the profession of defending maritime frontiers of the country.

He stressed upon them to keep pace with rapid advancement of technology, and make the best use of available resources. He also congratulated the officers particularly those who displayed outstanding performances and won prizes.

Earlier in his welcome speech, Pakistan Naval Academy Commandant Commodore Ayaz Nasir apprised the audience that the commissioning terms consists of 56 officers, including one from Palestine and two from Saudi Arabia.

The term also includes twenty one female officers. He said that the officers had undergone two years comprehensive training at the Pakistan Naval Academy and onboard various Pakistan Navy ships.

“In the next phase, the commissioned officers would be trained in their respective branches, and awarded Bachelors degrees in Management Information System, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering and Business Administration”, he said.

He further stated that the Pakistan Naval Academy is also training young cadets of Kazakhstan, Maldives, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Yemen which is a matter of distinction and pride.

Later, the Chief Guest distributed prizes to the winners. Midshipman Bilal Yasir was awarded the Sword of Honour for his overall best performance. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gold Medal was awarded to Cadet Owais Ahmad whereas Cadet Faryal Naz received Commandant Gold Medal. Academy Dirk went to Midshipman Shazli Tahir. Fox’l Squadron received Proficiency Banner for its overall best performance.