Pakistan Navy is fully equipped and committed to defend the maritime frontiers of the country against any external aggression.

This was stated by Pakistan Navy’s serving and retired officers during a special transmission of the News and Current Affairs Channel of Pakistan in connection with Pak Navy Day, which was observed on Thursday.

Lieutenant Syed Hasan Shaukat said that the unity of civilian population and Pakistan armed forces during 1965 war was unprecedented.  He said on 7th of September 1965, under ‘Operation Somnath’ also known as “Operation Dwarka” Pakistan Navy was assigned a task of destroying Indian Radar Station at Dwarka. He said that objectives of the Operation Dwarka were decreasing the concentration and to divert the attention of Indian Air Force in the southern front, destroying Radar Station at Dwarka and lowering the morale of the enemy which were successfully accomplished. 

He said that the attack was aimed at luring the heavy ships anchored in Bombay into attacking the Pakistani ships to enable the submarine PNS Ghazi lurking in the Arabian Sea to engage and sink the Indian ships. Lt Hassan Shaukat said the Indian warships harboured in Bombay were unable to sortie because of the fear of only Pakistani submarine Ghazi, which was deployed near Mumbai.  Lt Hassan Shaukat said the objective of diverting the Indian Air Force from attacking Pakistan's southern front was achieved as air raids on the city of Karachi ceased.

Providing details of the operation, Lt Hassan said Pakistan Navy’s fifth squadron which was composed of seven war ships of Pakistan Navy set sail for Dwarka and bombarded the town without any retaliation from the Indian side.

He said that being a Muslim passion to embrace martyrdom is the ultimate objective of a soldier which eliminates fear of death and when there no fear of death the soldier fights bravely. He said when a soldier goes into the battlefield with the passion of becoming a martyr he definitely succeeds.

Talking about the professional training in Pakistan Navy, he said that Pakistan Navy imparts extensive training with an aim to inculcate basic Islamic beliefs and teachings to its officers and sailors, which provides an impetus for the personal and professional grooming of Pakistan Navy personnel. 

Talking about the recent incident of detection of an Indian submarine in Pakistani waters in Pakistan territorial waters, he said that the Indian submarine was just a button click way from destruction but Pakistan Navy observed restraint.

Speaking telephonically, Commodore (retired) Sajid Mehmood Shehzad, SI (M), said when the war broke out on 6th September 1965, Indian Navy couldn’t gather courage to come out in the open seas and face Pakistan Navy. He said that Pakistan Navy kept on waiting for Indian Navy to come out on 7th and 8th of September but no warship turned up, therefore Pakistan Navy decided to invade Indian territorial waters and launch an attack on Dwarka radar station. He said that the entire nation was behind Pakistan Navy’s crucial decision on night of 8th September 1986.  He said that Indian Navy was trying to save its warships as it was terrified by professionalism of Pakistan Navy and they were aware of the fact that if they took on Pakistan Navy they would be completely obliterated.

Speaking during the transmission, Sub Lt Maria Baig said that Pakistan Navy is providing opportunities to women to get inducted in the force and serve the nation. She said that women officers of Pakistan Navy are serving shoulder to shoulder with their male colleagues in almost every branch including IT, Education, Medical and Legal branches. 

Speaking via telephone line veteran naval officer Rear Admiral (retired) Saleem Akhtar, HI (M) SI (M), said that although Indian Navy was well equipped as compared to Pakistan Navy but it was terrified by Pakistan Navy’s submarine Ghazi. He said that Pakistan Navy fleet launched attack on Indian Radar Station from a distance of only five nautical miles from Dwarka and completely destroyed it. He said that after launching the successful attack Pakistan Navy fleet returned safely.  R/Adm Saleem Akhtar said that Pakistan Navy is a professional force, which is fully equipped with the state of the art ships and Pak Marines to provide maritime security in the Arabian Sea and Run of Kuchh.