Naval chief stresses combat readiness amid Mideast threats to SLOCs, navigation

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Wednesday emphasised perpetual combat readiness against traditional and non-traditional threats at the Pakistan Navy’s Command & Staff Conference, which concluded at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad on Wednesday, the military’s media wing said. Chaired by Admiral Ashraf and attended by principal staff officers and field commanders, the apex forum reviewed operational preparedness and aligned priorities with regional maritime security imperatives, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Particularly in the context of the ongoing Middle East situation, he highlighted risks to freedom of navigation, vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), and volatile security at strategic choke-points. The naval chief described acquiring niche, cutting-edge technologies as a strategic necessity. Admiral Ashraf underscored the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) role in ensuring regional peace and stability, including assurance to the maritime community via presence in the Gulf of Oman (GOO). The conference also marked the first anniversary of Operation MARKA-E-HAQ, hailing sacrifices in the May 2025 conflict as a testament to national unity against aggression.

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