KARACHI, Sept 7: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsan-ul-Haq has reiterated government’s resolve to modernise the armed forces and equip them with state-of-the-art weapons.

He was addressing a large gathering of officers and men at Malir Garrison here on Thursday, says an ISPR press release issued here on Thursday.

General Ehsan, who is also the Colonel in Chief of Army Air Defence, said Pakistan is a peaceful country with no hegemonic designs against anybody. “However, we would fiercely defend our national interests and our territorial integrity,” he added.

He said an Armed Forces Development Plan, envisaging a progressive and phase-wise induction of modern equipment in the three services, was already underway.

Air defence was among the leading priorities, he said. Even though the Army Air Defence was a relatively younger arm of Pakistan Army, it had attained a significant growth, both materially and professionally, in its short history, he added

General Ehsan said all this had been possible due to the dedication, foresight and untiring hard work of its rank and file.

He recalled the humble beginnings from only two Anti Aircraft Artillery units at the time of creation of Pakistan to the modern corps of Army Air Defence today. He said this was the result of planning and sheer professionalism of the previous generation of solders, who saw the increasing potential of air defence in all future conflicts.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, Major General Tahir Mahmood Qazi, Commander Army Air Defence Command, welcomed General Ehsan and said: “Air defence is a dynamic arm which keeps on improving due to the rapid advancement in technology.”

“This process never stops, and in the Pakistan Armed Forces, we are abreast of the latest technical innovations and tactical doctrines in the field of air defence,” he said.

The ceremony was largely attended by serving and retired officers, JCOs and other ranks of the air defence.—APP