No aggressive designs against any country: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Tuesday conducted a massive firepower demonstration, with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani saying Pakistan did not have any aggressive designs against any country.

“While we strive for peace with honour in a stable environment, I wish to assure all countries in the region that we are a peace loving nation, with no aggressive designs against anyone,” Gilani said.

“We, however, need to test our defensive capabilities,” he said after witnessing the firepower demonstration that concluded the first phase of the High Mark-2010 war game that the PAF is conducting across the country, from Skardu in the north to Karachi in the south.

The war game, Gilani said, “is one such opportunity to validate our joint operational concepts”.

“I am well aware of the multifaceted challenges faced by our nation. While we move ahead to provide solutions, the high state of preparedness of our armed forces strengthens our national resolve and confidence,” Online news agency quoted Gilani as saying.

According to Gilani, it was “heartening” to see that the PAF “despite its heavy commitment” to the ongoing counter-terrorist operations “and remaining within its own resources”, undertook High Mark-2010 “which shows that it always remains fully prepared for its missions, role and task”.

The firepower demonstration, conducted in the Thal desert in Punjab province, featured the PAF’s newly acquired JF-17 Thunder combat jets that have been jointly developed with China, as also F-16s and Mirages attacking a variety of targets with guns, bombs and missiles.

Also staged was a rescue operation by a combined team of air force and army commandos.

High Mark-2010, the first phase of which was launched March 15, is the PAF’s biggest war game in five years. The second phase will begin Wednesday and will continue till the end of the month.

According to a PAF spokesperson, “the ever changing geo-political environment in the region demands change in the employment concepts and doctrinal changes in the application of air power with emphasis on joint operations”.

“High Mark-2010 would provide the PAF an opportunity to validate these concepts that are vital for the overall defence of the country,” he added.

To this end, the spokesperson said, High Mark-2010 is aimed at conducting operations in a near-realistic tactical environment while integrating new inductions and providing role-oriented training to the combat and support elements of the force.