Pakistan equipped with BVRS weapon
Corps Commanders Conference reviews internal, external security situation
Aroosa Alam
Rawalpindiââ¬âThe senior commanders were told here Tuesday that Pakistan was now equipped with Beyond Visual Range standoff weapon system that can fight terrorists as well as insurgents in the country.
The AGM 154 system has been provided by USA under its anti-terror package which includes many systems including BVR standoff weapon. Raytheon of USA has developed this system for the Air Force and the Navy. The AGM-154A (formerly Advanced Interdiction Weapon System) is intended to provide a low cost, highly lethal glide weapon with a standoff capability. JSOW family of kinematically efficient, air-to-surface glide weapons, in the 1,000-lb class, provides standoff capabilities from 15 nautical miles (low altitude launch) to 40 nautical miles (high altitude launch). The JSOW will be used against a variety of land and sea targets and will operate from ranges outside enemy point defences. The JSOW is a launch and leave weapon that employs a tightly coupled Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS), and is capable of day/night and adverse weather operations. The JSOW uses inertial and global positioning system for midcourse navigation and imaging infra-red and datalink for terminal homing.
Commanders were told that the milestone achievement will take care of Pakistanââ¬â¢s internal and external security concerns.
This weapon system will also put at rest concerns expressed by some commanders lately over the breach of Pakistanââ¬â¢s sovereignty by Allied Forces with a particular reference to Bajour incident. Bajour killings had attracted severe criticism from people of Pakistan, political parties and even from within the armed forces. With the induction of new system Pakistan Army combating terrorism will be able to hit targets without coming into direct contact with well dug terrorists.
The induction of the standoff weapon system has also lent comfort to those commanders who are fighting insurgents in Balochistan and terrorists in Wana and tribal areas. The new system will also serve as a shot in the arm for the ruling alliance who is braving opposition rallies in the name of protest against blasphemous cartoons .
Commanders reposing complete confidence into the leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf and his policies firmly declared that blasphemous cartoons are matter of grave concern to every Pakistani but nobody will be allowed to draw political advantage out of it. They agreed that such elements will be dealt with an iron hand. And nobody will be allowed to disturb law and order situation in the country.
The 95th Corps Commanders Conference was held at the General Headquarters Tuesday. President General Pervez Musharraf presided over the conference, which was attended by all Corps Commanders and Principal Staff Officers.
The participants of the conference reviewed the internal and external security situation with particular reference to the situation arising out of publication of the blasphemous sketches in some western media. President General Pervez Musharraf strongly condemned these publications. He said that Pakistan has already condemned this act at all forums in October 2005. Pakistan wrote a letter to Danish government condemning the blasphemy. Our Ambassador in Denmark along with six other Ambassadors of OIC countries made a strong demarche to the Danish Prime Minister. In December 2005, our Permanent Representative in Geneva in his capacity as the Chairman of the OIC Group in Geneva, addressed a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights seeking his intervention with Denmark to help stem this outrage against Islam. President said that at Pakistanââ¬â¢s initiative, the 60th Session of UN General Assembly in December 2005 adopted a resolution calling upon the International Community to combat defamation of all religions and curb the tendency of Islamophobia. On 14th February, an extraordinary meeting of the OIC was also held in Jeddah due to our efforts which adopted resolution condemning the blasphemy.
President said that Pakistan in fact is in the lead of all Muslim countries at all these forums. We shall also ask for International legislation banning blasphemy against all Prophets and term it as cognizable and criminal offence. Whereas this act has hurt the sentiments of all Muslims, irrespective of their affiliation with a religious party or otherwise, the government stands by with its people in condemning this act. It was unanimously viewed by all the participants that we shall not allow any person or group to exploit this event for political or vested interests.
Unfortunately some elements with malicious intent have created law and order problem and situation of insecurity for the foreign investors. Those who have indulged in violence causing loss of life and property of their brethren and exploited this situation for personal agendas, are actually indulging in unethical and criminal act and we shall deal with these unscrupulous elements with stern hand. President General Pervez Musharraf reaffirmed the resolve that no one shall be allowed to disturb law and order situation and measures will be taken to protect the life and property of the citizens.
At the end the participants were also briefed on the situation in Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. President appreciated the efforts of security personnel who are engaged in maintaining the law and order situation both in Balochistan and FATA. The participants were also briefed on the enhancement of Armyââ¬â¢s capabilities and acquisition of new system to combat terrorism.
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