WATCH: Pakistan, 50 other countries hold maritime drills in Karachi
"Aim of these exercises is to be ready at all times amid all kinds of situations," says Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami
February 13, 2023
The Pakistan Navy’s eighth Multinational Maritime Exercise, AMAN-2023, Monday continued on the fourth day with participation from 50 nations in the port city of Karachi.
In its C-Phase, domestic and foreign naval warships exercised in the open seas. Pakistan Navy performed a drill operation against pirates.
The week-long exercises began from February 10 with services chiefs from Lebanon, Djibouti and Tanzania among the special guests.
“In 2007, 28 countries participated in the peace exercises, while 50 have taken part in the drills in 2023. This year, it was the biggest naval exercise of its kind,” Pakistan Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami said while speaking at the occasion where Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori was the chief guest.
He added that the exercise is not against a single country, but its purpose is peace and stability in the region. “The aim of these exercises is to be ready at all times amid all kinds of situations.”
The participating nations also demonstrated heavy gunfire in the open seas. Flypast of JF-17, P-3C Orion and ATR jets as well as the Sea King and Zulu helicopters was performed during the peace exercise.
Ships and missile boats from the United States, Indonesia, Italy, Sri Lanka and Malaysia participated in the exercise.
The official Twitter handle of the Director-General Public Relations Pakistan Navy shared a video from the fourth day of the exercise demonstrating how the maritime forces counter-terrorism in the seas.
According to the DGPR (Navy), a large number of observers, foreign diplomats, government officials and senior officials of the armed forces were present at the occasion.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Navy, the tweet read.
Naval participants from European, Eurasian, Asian and American continents have brought their ships, aircraft, special operation forces, and explosive ordnance disposal teams. Observers are also attending the multinational exercise, which will continue till February 14.
According to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center, due to joint global efforts of which Pakistan is a critical part, the piracy and terrorism incidents dropped to 41 by 2019 from 180 in 2017.
The Pakistan Navy is the first regional navy to become a member of the US-led and Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces in 2004 to conduct regional maritime security patrols in the southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and choke points off the Maldives. The PN’s very own Task Force-88 is focused on ensuring a robust security posture in the maritime security of Gwadar and the adjacent sea-lanes.
