'Pakistan has no aggressive designs'

General Ehsan Ul Haq, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has said that the international and regional environment demand highest level of vigilance and military preparedness and that Pakistan is fully aware of these imperatives.
He said, "Pakistan has no aggressive designs against anyone. We seek peace with all neighbours, but a peace with honour. Our desire for peace should not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness; it is a strategy of defensive deterrence. We also seek the peaceful resolution of all disputes with our neighbours including Kashmir. We are determined to defend the territorial integrity and solidarity of our country and our desire is reflective of the defence capabilities of our armed forces."
General Ehsan Ul Haq was addressing Graduation Ceremony of the Air Defence Course here at the Army Defence School at Malir Cantt, said an Inter Service Public Relations release here on Friday.
General Ehsan Ul Haq said that the armed forces are being upgraded through an Armed Forces Development Plan. This is part of the govt's national defence policy and will see the three armed forces ie Army, Navy and Air Force much stronger and far more capable to thwart any designs that someone may have against us. "Pakistan is significantly upgrading its air defence assets. We are bringing in new weapons systems to support our concepts along with significant advances in integrating these system," he informed the audience.
Chairman JCSC said that the importance of air defence in modern warfare needs no emphasis. Today's modern armies completely rely on joint operational concepts and integrated all arms teams. Air defence is one arm, which is employed in all operations and provides a favourable environment to own forces. Thus the knowledge of all arms is absolutely essential to air defence commanders.
"Your knowledge of weapons employment and their technologies will give you the confidence to network with different arms teams. Indeed, integrated air defence is one of the key elements of Network Centre Warfare," he said. In the end, chairman JCSC, who is also the Colonel in Chief of Army Air Defence, congratulated the graduating officers for their hard work and commitment.
The Colonel in Chief's Medal for overall best performance in the course was awarded to Captain Adnan Shafi while the Colonel Commandant's Medal and the medal for best research work was given to Captain Sohail Ahmed. The Army Air Defence School has recently been affiliated with the University of Karachi for the award of MSc degree in Military Sciences to the graduating officers of the Air Defence Staff course. This is the first course that received the degrees.
Earlier, in an impressive convocation ceremony, Vice Chancellor of University of Karachi Professor Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui awarded the degrees to the graduating officers. Today's graduating course also included officers from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.
A large number of officers from the three services including Lieutenant General Ahsan Hayat, Corps Commander Karachi Major General Tahir Mahmood Qazi, Commander Army Air Defence and senior military officers of the graduating garrison attended the graduating ceremony.