Pakistan has taken over the command of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) for a period of six months as part of the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT), a Pakistan navy press release said here on Monday. Pakistan is the front line state in GWOT, one of its objectives is to ensure maritime stability in the region by preventing terrorists/nefarious elements from extending the influence of their activities to the maritime domain.
The same is being ensured through security operations by coalition maritime forces including Pakistan Navy, which became the first regional navy to actively participate in coalition operations since 2004 in North Arabian Sea. In pursuit of its endeavours to foster regional maritime security, Pakistan Navy is also international coalition partner in countering growing menace of piracy around Somalia since 2009.
So far six PN Destroyers have completed Counter Piracy Deployments (CPD) in Gulf of Aden (GOA) and Horn of Africa (HOA). Combined Task Force 151 is an important operational component tasked to counter piracy under relevant UNSC resolutions. CTF-151 functions under US Naval Central Command based at Bahrain and generally operates in Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and Somali Basin covering about 2 million Sq Kms of water.