Air Chief addresses Manama Air Power Symposium at Bahrain

Islamabad, January 21, 2016 (PPI-OT): Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force participated in Manama Airpower Symposium today. The Symposium, hosted by Royal Bahraini Air Force and Air Defence, is part of the fourth International Bahrain Air Show. The Chiefs of over 20 Air Forces and a large number of officials from aviation industries attended the Symposium. The Air Chief was among the few privileged speakers to address the select audience gathered here from around the globe. The Air Chief presented his vision on an important topic “PAF’s Leading Role in On-going Operations- Successes and Future Challenges”.

While dwelling upon the topic, Air Chief highlighted the role of PAF in the ongoing anti-terrorist operations and said that PAF in synergy with Pak Army has played a key role in eliminating the terrorists. PAF has inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists by destroying their command and control centres and ammunition depots. Large scale efforts have been made for infrastructure development and provision of basic amenities to the local population. PAF and Pak Army have joined hands for providing quality education to the youth of these areas, which would help in transforming these young minds into better citizens of the country.

He further added that the anti-terrorist operations in Pakistan which started in 2014 are fully backed by political leadership and owned by the entire nation. PAF, with its wherewithal, has the capacity to operate with total precision, day and night in all weather conditions and its air strikes have caused major blow to terrorists in terms of foreign elements killed and infrastructure destroyed. He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to fight against the evil of terrorism and showed his determination to win this war.

He concluded with the remarks that though air power can’t win wars alone; but no war can be won without the application of air power which makes it the instrument of first choice for political leadership in contingencies and crisis situation. While talking about the severing of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Air Chief said that Pakistan is playing a proactive role in mediating the Saudi-Iran conflict. He further said that the resolution of the current crisis through peaceful means would not only help in normalization of escalating tensions between the two countries but also help in bringing harmony among the Muslim world.

During the Symposium, the Air Chief also met with Air Chiefs of other Air Forces and leading dignitaries attending the conference and exchanged views pertaining to the subject. The Air Chief will also witness the opening ceremony of Bahrain Air Show, which will kick start from 21 January, 2016 at Sakhir Air Base (Bahrain).

For more information, contact:
Air Commodore Tariq Qamar Yazdanie TI (M)
Director Media Affairs
Pakistan Air Force
E-mail: pafdpr@paf.gov.pk
Tel: +92-51-9507751, +92-51-9261300
Fax: +92-51-9260868