Musharraf vows to maintain practicable deterrence

Islamabad, Mar 17: Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf said his country is against an arms race in the region but will retain a 'strong and practicable' deterrent capability, which is an important part of its national security.

He was addressing a farewell ceremony hosted in honour of outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi last evening.

"Pakistan is a peaceful country and does not have aggressive design against any one but it is neither unaware of its defence and security nor ignorant of the changes that occur in its surrounding," Gen Musharraf said adding that Pakistani armed forces were being equipped with modern skills and weapons.

Oserving that PAF capabilities would be further enhanced with the inclusion of JF-17 Thunder jets, jointly manufactured by Pakistan and China, and scheduled to be inducted in the air force in March 2007, he said Manufacturing of weapons and planes in Pakistan Aeronautical Complex would also make better the PAF performance.

The President noted that armed forces expressed their best of abilities by rendering great services for country's uplift and defence. He also lauded Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat's services for PAF and said that PAF got great progress in professional and technical fields.

ACM Saadat is to relinquish office of the Air Chief next week, and will be succeeded by Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mehmud Ahmad.

UNI

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