Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani re-emphasised that Pakistan is a peace loving country and believes in peaceful co-existence. Pakistan defence doctrine, he added, is based on maintaining minimum credible deterrence to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and to ensure peace and stability in the region.
The Prime Minister was talking to Chief of Air Staff; Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mahmood Ahmad who called on him here at the Prime Minister's House on Monday and congratulated him on assuming the office of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has always played an important role in the defence of the country, in addition to rendering support to civil administration in relief and rehabilitation efforts during natural calamities.
The Prime Minister said that in order to strengthen the defence of aerial frontiers of the country, the government would continue to focus upon improving its indigenous capabilities as well as entering into more joint ventures with other countries to ensure provision of latest equipment for PAF. He said "JF-17 Thunder Aircraft is the symbol of Pak-China friendship and we are happy that this vision has become a reality".
The Chief Marshal Tanveer Mehmood apprised the Prime Minister about various initiatives taken by the PAF to optimise its effectiveness and efficiency. He also apprised the Prime Minister of the ongoing up-gradation and modernisation initiatives and updated him on the various programmes to enhance the indigenous capabilities of the PAF.