Karachi:
Pakistan's "desire" for peaceful settlement of issues must not be misconstrued as its weakness as the country has the means to give a "befitting response to any unprovoked attack of blatant aggression", a top military official said today.
"Pakistan is a peace-loving country. However, our desire for peaceful settlement of issues must not be misconstrued as our weakness," said Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman Gen Khalid Shameem Wynne.
"Our armed forces and a vibrant Pakistani nation are fully capable to safeguard every inch of ideological and territorial sovereignty of our beloved motherland and we will give a befitting response to any unprovoked attack of blatant aggression by our adversary," he said while addressing a passing out parade at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi.
Wynne described the current era as one of "persistent conflict" and said Pakistan's adversaries were expected to "seek to frustrate our peaceful living".
He did not identify these adversaries.
"Today, we have many maritime challenges like growing menace of piracy, unlawful use of maritime domain, modernisation and huge naval build-up by our adversaries. These challenges demand from you to be more proactive," he told the midshipmen and short service commission who passed out from the academy.
The construction of Agosta submarines and induction of F-22P frigates from China will augment Pakistan's defence capabilities, Wynne said.