KARACHI – Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Fridayinducted Pakistan Maritime Security Ship (PMSS) Kashmir into PakistanMaritime Security Agency (PMSA) fleet at a ceremony held in Karachi.

On his arrival, a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Navy presentedthe Guard of Honour to President Masood Khan. On the occasion, the AJKpresident conveyed his deepest gratitude for naming the vessel as PMSSKashmir.

He said that this symbolises the principled and shared aspirations of PMSAand the Pakistani nation as a whole by recognising the epic and heroicstruggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of theirright to self-determination, in accordance with the UN Security Councilresolutions.

“By doing so, you honour the people of Jammu and Kashmir, whose mostresonating slogan over the past seven decades has been ‘Kashmir Banay GaPakistan (Kashmir will become Pakistan)’; and more recently, from acrossthe Line of Control, ‘Hum Pakistani Hain, Pakistan Humara Hay (We arePakistani; Pakistan is ours)’,” Khan said.

This flagship vessel, he said, would be a symbol of peace for the regionand an emblem of liberty which keep the flag of Pakistan high, with pride,across seas and oceans.

The state-of-the-art vessel is equipped with modern navigation andsurveillance equipment, weapons and sensors, making it fully ready toundertake law enforcement operations within Pakistan’s waters, he said.

The AJK president, while highlighting the importance of maritime trade,said that with the completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ourports and shipping lanes will witness an exponential increase in economicand commercial activity, making Pakistan a focal point for transit tradeactivity in the region.

He said that Pakistan has a coastline of 1,046 kilometres along the ArabianSea and the Gulf of Oman, and the recent increase in Pakistan’s sea limitsfrom 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles has added 50,000 squarekilometres to Pakistan’s seabed territory.