Globalisation era: Role of maritime security increased: Asif

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Sunday said that the changes taking place at the global level have had an impact on all sectors. In this era of globalization, the role of maritime security has further increased.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the “Aman Dialogue” organized by the Pakistan Navy here, the Defence Minister said that along with natural resources, maritime trade is also of the great importance and collective actions to address these challenges was the need of the hour.

He said the era of globalization, rapidly evolving technologies, transition of world power structures and growing threats from non-state actors had made it obligatory for us to sit together, discuss our challenges together and learn from each other and formulate strategies for the common good of our people.

He said evolving Maritime threats, especially after 9/11, where the threats pose to global common is to non conventional domain, piracy, trans-national crime and cyber war faring coexist with the climate degradation and climate change impacts.

These challenges recognize no borders and respect no sovereignty, they demand unified understanding and coordinated response, the Defence Minister added.

Welcoming the participants, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf said that there would be an opportunity to benefit from each other’s experiences through the Aman Dialogue for the promotion of the maritime sector and the blue economy. Admiral Naveed Ashraf said the AMAN-Dialogue themed this year “Secure Seas-Prosperous Future” capsulates our vision for the Indian Ocean region.

We envisioned these waters not an arena of confrontation but as a common avenue for the cooperation, Chief of the Naval Staff said, adding that we believe that the magnitude and diversity of evolving threats and challenges as such that no country wherewithal to tackle them alone. Hence collaborative Maritime security has become an imperative for ensuring robust Maritime security specially in regions like ours where within states for economic activity and multiple and diverse stakeholders, Admiral Naveed Ashraf said.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed also spoke on the occasion and said that 80 percent of trade is carried out through sea routes and promoting regional connectivity has become extremely important for economic development.