KARACHI, Nov 9: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday Pakistan, being a peaceful country, needed to maintain a deterrent capability to defend its borders, air space and territorial waters.

He was addressing at a ceremony of the Firepower Demonstration-2007 held at the Pakistan Air Force firing range in Sonmiani marking the culmination of inter-squadron strive for excellence in a healthy and competitive environment.

It was the show of PAF’s sophisticated hurting machines engaging targets with incomparable accuracy.

The PAF test-fired state-of-the art air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons to prove their accuracy on its inventory for any future conflicts.

The prime minister said the display of firepower clearly shows that the Air Force has developed through the years.

He said that the PAF, like the Army and the Navy, had a major role to play in a coordinated manner to defend the country.

Appreciating the capabilities of the PAF, he said he was impressed by the way it developed over the years.

“This is essential for maintaining peace not just in Pakistan but in the whole region.”

Mr Aziz said: “If we look at PAF’s transport side, the Air Force also plays an important part, and in the time of national disaster we need to move people and goods, the C130 aircraft is reliable and we can depend on the Air Force for the purpose”.

He said: “Our nuclear weapon and missile capability was second to none and at the same time these weapons and missiles guarantee our security, sovereignty and integrity, which is the best guarantee for peace”.

Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, Chief Minster Jam Muhammad Yousuf, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Tariq Majeed, Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mehmood and military attaches of other countries also attended the ceremony.—PPI