26 security officials martyred in Afghan shelling

Chitral - 27th August 2011


Like us on Facebook

Today on Saturday at least 26 Chitral Scout officials were martyred in mortar shelling from Afghanistan. Militants from Afghanistan launched a pre-dawn cross-border raid on Pakistani paramilitary posts in the Chitral district on Saturday, killing 26 soldiers and wounding many others, security officials said. Afghan militants attacked six posts manned by the Chitral Scouts militia in the border village of Arandu near Chitral which faces Afghanistan s Nuristan province where Taliban militants have been active for years.

"Militants physically attacked some posts with heavy weapons while firing mortar bombs on others causing the casualties," one security official said.

The official gave no further details. But an intelligence official in the region said the attackers numbered in the hundreds. Cross-border raids have raised tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months as they battle protracted insurgencies by Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.

Pakistani Taliban fighters who fled to Afghanistan in the face of army offensives have joined allies there to regroup and threaten Pakistani border regions, analysts say. Twenty-seven Pakistani servicemen were killed and 45 militants died in clashes in July when some 600 militants from Afghanistan attacked two Pakistani villages in Dir region, also in the country s northwest.

Pakistan blames Afghanistan for giving refuge to militants on its side of the border, leaving its troops to counter-attack when it chases them out of the tribal areas and into Afghanistan.
PMG

Lockheed to provide Pakistan with 10 F-16 upgrade kits

Fort Worth - 4th August 2011
Like us on Facebook
Today on Thursday a US firm, Lockheed Martin, has secured the contract to provide 10 upgrade kits for Pakistan's F-16. Lockheed Martin has secured a $42.3 million contract to provide 10 upgrade kits for Pakistan s F-16 A/B aircraft, under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. Despite troubled relations with Washington after the American special forces 2 May raid into Pakistan to kill Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, the Pentagon continues to support Pakistan s air force.

The upgrade kit deal follows a late July announcement that specialist communications producer L-3 Communications was awarded a contract to build two F-16C Block 52 aircrew training devices for the Pakistan Air Force. In late May, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that Pakistan had requested a FMS deal to acquire spare parts for a number of its aircraft, including the Lockheed Martin C-130 transport, F-16 fighter and T-33 trainer, as well as the Cessna T-37 trainer. Earlier this year the Pakistan air force inducted 17 new F-16 Block 52+ fighters into 5 Squadron -- part of an 18-aircraft deal signed in 2006.

Pakistan s 34 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft are also undergoing mid-life upgrades.
PMG

Court martial of 3 Naval officers begins

Karachi - 3rd August 2011
Like us on Facebook
Today on Wednesday Mehran Base Board of Inquiry formed on PM’s orders has completed investigation. In the light of the report, court martial of at least three naval officials has started, sources said.

The Board was formed on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s orders and is led by Rear Admiral Tehseenullah. The Mehran Naval Base in Karachi came under attacked by militants on May 22.

The base was cleared by a 16-hour-long operation. Fourteen people, including naval soldiers, were killed and two P3 Orion aircraft were destroyed in the one of the brazen attacks yet on military installations.
PMG

General Shameem Wynne made Col-in-Chief of Punjab Regiment

Like us on Facebook
Rawalpindi - 29th July 2011

Today on Friday morning General Khalid Shameem Wynne (HI), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) in an impressive but simple ceremony was pinned the ranks of Col-in-Chief of Punjab Regiment. This unique honour was earlier only bestowed upon Field Marshal Ayub khan, General Asif Nawaz Janjua and General Aziz Khan. While addressing the gathering of jawans and officers, General Khalid Shameem Wynne paid rich tributes to the scions of the Regiment and also highlighted the sacrifices made by the Army in defending the frontiers of mother land and present operations against terrorists.
PMG

Pak-Australian joint mountain military expedition

Spantik - 21st July 2011

Today on Thursday Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain, Inspector General Training and Evaluation visited expedition Base Camp to meet the Australian Army Expedition Team at Spantik.

To share the vast experiences of Pakistan Army in mountaineering, a joint mountain expedition of Pakistan and Australia is on the way for summit attempt of Spantik. Australian Army Expedition Team is comprising six members headed by an experienced mountaineer Major Zayc. Lieutenant Colonel Ahsan Kayani from Pakistan Army is leading the team including nine members.
PMG
Like us on Facebook

Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad visited NDU in China

Beijing - 19th July 2011

The Chief of General Staff of Pakistan Army, Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad said here that National Defence University (NDU) is a premier institution of learning in China which is performing a seminal role in intellectual grooming of its military and civilian community, besides educating them on regional and global security issues and military art.

He expressed these views during a meeting with Vice President of NDU, Lieutenant General Ren Haiquan here at the university during his visit to the university.

In his welcome remarks, Lieutenant General Ren Haiquan said that there are many officers from Pakistan, who are undergoing training courses in different disciplines in NDU. He highly appreciated their caliber and competence and termed them excellent and highly respected.

Later, Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad had an interactive session with the think tanks hosted by Major General Xiao Tianliang, Chief of the Strategic Studies office on the NDU. Regional security environment remained the focus of discussion with special reference to situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The participants agreed that Pak-China strategic relationship and cooperation in all fields was extremely important and critical to ensure security in South Asia.
Earlier, Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad held a detailed meeting with the Deputy Minister of SASTIND, Mr Wang Yiren here at the State Guest House.
The whole range of defence cooperation between Pakistan and China came under discussion in a friendly atmosphere.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of both sides, who expressed great satisfaction on the pace of various ongoing projects.

Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad said that Pakistan greatly values support and friendship of China. Brotherly relationships of both countries are based on trust and sincerity and have stood the test of times.

He expressed the confidence that his visit will further strengthen the bonds of friendship and enhance defense cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Minister Wang Yiren said that Pakistan and China have a long history of deep rooted cooperation which is growing stronger. He specially mentioned the joint project of JF-17 Thunder Fighter aircraft MBT-2000 and the building of a frigate in Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works in cooperation with China.

The Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad also met heads of eminent Chinese Defence Industry. During these meetings, matters regarding provision of military equipment to Pakistan Army by these entities were discussed in detail.
PMG
Like us on Facebook

National Command Authority meeting

Rawalpindi - 14th July 2011

Today on Thursday the National Command Authority (NCA) met under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. Members of the NCA including Federal Ministers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, Secretary NCA DG SPD, and other senior officials attended the meeting.
The NCA comprehensively reviewed developments in the regional and global security environment. The NCA also undertook detailed appraisal of the international and regional trends and policies and their implications for Pakistan.
After in-depth consideration and evaluation, the National Command Authority, inter alia, decided that Pakistan will continue to pursue its policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence as a responsible nuclear weapons state. The NCA expressed satisfaction at the security and safety of Pakistan’s strategic programmes and facilities. It also expressed confidence in the operational readiness of Pakistan’s strategic weapons.
The NCA expressed concern over the continued pursuit of policies that detract from the globally shared norms and rules of equality, inclusiveness and objectivity. The NCA cautioned that such policies represent regression in the non-proliferation regime and tend to erode the strategic balance in South Asia. Pakistan would continue to take appropriate counter measures to ensure its security and to maintain regional stability.

The National Command Authority reiterated Pakistan’s desire to constructively contribute to the realization of a world free of nuclear weapons and to the goals of non-proliferation on the basis of equality and partnership with the international community. Accordingly, Pakistan was keen to join the four export control arrangements.

The NCA reaffirmed the importance of nuclear safety. In this regard, it noted with satisfaction the safety review of all the existing and planned civil nuclear facilities by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). The NCA directed the PNRA and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) to continue to ensure that our programmes conform to the highest levels of safety and international best practices.

The NCA was also briefed on the nuclear security review undertaken recently. It expressed confidence in the institutionalized Command and Control System and comprehensive measures put in place to ensure reliability and security of strategic assets. The NCA underlined that the Government and the people of Pakistan stood solidly behind the country’s nuclear and missile programmes, which would be pursued to maintain effective, reliable and credible deterrence capability, and all attempts to undermine this capability would be thwarted with full force.
As part of the energy security strategy, the NCA also reviewed and approved the futuristic, self-sustaining Nuclear Power Programme – 2050, to meet the existing energy shortfalls and to respond to the future requirements of a growing population and economy. The NCA emphasized the need to focus on socio-economic development of the people as a foremost priority.

The NCA also approved Pakistan’s Space Programme – 2040 in order to bring the benefits of the full spectrum of space technology to the people of Pakistan.
PMG Pakistan Military Group on Facebook