Pakistan Navy celebrates 8th September as Navy Day to pay tribute to the sacrifices of its Officers and Men who demonstrated self-belief, grit-n- guile and absolute faith in Allah SWT to venture into enemy waters and bombarded the coastal town of Dwarka. On this day, we acknowledge the sacrifices of our Shuhadas& Ghazis and honour their bravado and valiant spirit which lifted the morale of the nation against a sinister enemy during the 1965 War.
During Operation Dwarka, codenamed ‘Operation SOMNATH’, the Pakistan Navy’s seven major warships proceeded on an audacious mission inside enemy territory and destroyed significant shore installations including an Indian radar station and a radio beacon at Dwarka. PN Flotilla’s attack took the enemy by surprise and dealt a severe blow to the morale of the Indian Navy that not only rattled its defences but paralysed its response. Furthermore, PN Submarine GHAZI posed an ominous threat to the Indian Navy severely restricting its operations and confining it close to the coast.
Pakistan Navy besides ensuring its own maritime defence also maintains round a clock presence in international waters and engages with regional navies to foster interoperability and promote maritime security at high seas. Therefore, the Pakistan Navy is acquiring state-of-the-art capabilities to meet emerging security challenges and augmenting indigenous capabilities to transition into a strong, agile, and reckonable force in the region.
In the present environment, the Pakistan Navy has also embarked on nation-building initiatives particularly to uplift coastal communities, and is making vigorous efforts to prop up the Blue Economy. In this regard, Pakistan Navy organised Pakistan’s first ever Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition & Conference (PIMEC) in February this year, in collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. PIMEC witnessed the participation of 22 foreign and 121 local exhibitors which is reflective of overwhelming interest towards the exploitation of the vast untapped potential of Pakistan’s maritime sector.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Navy launched the pilot of the Pakistan Maritime Science & Technology Park (PMSTP) at Bahria University Karachi Campus, earlier this month. PMSTP aims to focus on maritime education, research, innovation, and technology development by bringing together academia, industry, foreign technology firms, and state institutions. These efforts are focused on the development of a Blue Economy which holds enormous prospects and given the attention it deserves; can provide a significant boost to our national economy.
As we observe Navy Day today, let us pay tribute to our Shuhadas and Ghazis for their supreme sacrifices to the nation. The Officers, CPOs/ Sailors, and Civilians of the Pakistan Navy reaffirm our resolve to defend our motherland and protect maritime interests against all threats and challenges.
May Allah SWT be our Guide and Protector (Ameen)
PAKISTAN NAVY ZINDABAD & PAKISTAN PAINDABAD.
