KARACHI, Nov 27: The Pakistan Navy is conducting its biannual maritime exercise "Seaspark" 2006 in the North Arabian Sea. The prime objective of the exercise is to assess the navy’s operational readiness and to determine the command articulation of the newly-raised Coastal Command comprising Special Services Group and Pak Marines.

Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) Rear Admiral Shahid Iqbal said at a briefing that the ongoing CBMs with India were testimony to Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability in the region. However, he said, it was considered imperative to have strong and well-prepared armed forces since weakness invited aggression.

Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir and other senior naval officers attended the briefing.

Rear Admiral Shahid said that the experiences gained during deployment in the Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP), a component of the global war on terror and command of the multi-national Task Force-150 by the Pakistan Navy, would be suitably adapted during the exercises to draw pertinent lessons and evolve a strategy to counter present-day maritime threats.