Pakistan Observer’s team awarded for spectacular role in supporting blue economy, maritime
The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) on Monday unveiled its flagship publication, “Navigating Legal Horizons: Seafarers’ Manual on Naval Operations and Law of the Sea during Peace and War” at a ceremony attended by senior military officials, members of judiciary, diplomats, legal experts, maritime professionals, and media representatives.
Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen (R) Zubair Mahmood Hayat was the Chief Guest on the occasion while former Chiefs of Naval Staff including Admiral Noman Bashir, Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza, Vice Admiral (R) Ahmed Tasneem, Pre-Rector Bahria University Rear Admiral (R) ArshidJaved, Additional Foreign Secretary (Africa) Hamid Asghar Khan and Senator MushahidHussainSayed were among the noted guests on the occasion.
The book-launch turned out to be a well-attended affair as one could see representation from almost all segments of society, students, intelligentsia, academia, strategists, policy makers etc in attendance.
Authored jointly by President NIMA, Vice Admiral (R) Ahmed Saeed and Senior Research Fellow at NIMA, Cdre (R) RaheelMasood the manual provides comprehensive guidance on navigating the complexities of modern maritime law.
The manual synthesizes key international frameworks, including UNCLOS and International Humanitarian Law, while addressing pressing issues such as cyber-maritime security and AI-enabled autonomous weapons systems.
It received widespread acclaim during a reviewers’ session featuring distinguished legal experts including former Federal Minister and noted jurist Ahmar Bilal Soofi, Dr Hafiz AzizurRehman, ASC NisarAMujahid, Barrister ShahrukhIftikhar, Federal Shariah Court Judge, Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwar and Barrister Taimur Malik. Dr Muhammad Fayaz Dean of School of Law, BU, was the moderator of the reviewers’ session.
Gen Zubair commended the manual as a visionary document that reflects a commitment to maritime governance grounded in the rule of law, ethical responsibility, and strategic wisdom.
He emphasized that adherence to international maritime law is not only a legal obligation but also a strategic imperative for Pakistan.
