THE Pakistan Navy has assumed the responsibilities of the combined Task Force 150(CTF 150) for the 13th time, aimed to provide maritime security against piracy and illegal activities at the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The ceremony of the transfer of command was held at the Headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), Bahrain. While speaking on this prestigious event, Pakistan assured that the Pakistan Navy has the full potential to work with the coalition of navies to combat illegal activities at sea; and to provide safe and secure maritime routes for regional stability and peace within the area of responsibility. Furthermore, for the safety and security of the sea, there is an utter need for a coalition of different navies to promote stability and peace in the region and beyond the region as well.
In the light of much-needed cooperation for the security of the sea, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Combined Task Force 150 was established under the control of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (CENTCOM). It is a multinational coalition of different Navies including Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Pakistan, Spain, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the combined Maritime Force (CMF), CTF 150 carried out its Maritime Security Operations (MSO) beyond the Arabian Gulf to provide safe and secure trade routes for commercial ships. The purpose of this task force was to assume the counter-terrorism efforts at sea as a component of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); and to address maritime security threats by non-state actors to member states of this coalition. The responsibility of this Task Force rotates among its member states for about four months. Consequently, CTF 150 is an important multinational coalition between different partners to deal with traditional and emerging security challenges of the sea that creates hurdles in the navigation of ships and trade routes for business activities.
In the maritime domains, there are a number of security threats and risks for the international community such as piracy and armed robbery, disputes on maritime boundaries between states, extremism, and terrorism in which terrorist organizations use maritime routes for the transfer of weapons, funding, attacks and to occupy the strategic choke points, which poses a significant challenge for international trade and other legal activities. Moreover, there are emerging non-traditional threats such as to the environment, and polluted waterthat have harmful impacts on the life of aquatic organisms. Furthermore, cyber threats, illegal fishing, drug and human tracking also imposed a serious issue for maritime affairs. To combat such security challenges, CTF 150 has played a significant role in curbing these issues by taking effective measures for its member states and the international community.
The UK-French Combined Staff assumed the command of Combined Task Force 150 from the Pakistan Navyto provide security in maritime affairs in the region. Over the last four months, under the Command of UK-French, CTF 150 have carried out boarding operations, built up maritime counter-terrorism capabilities, seized almost 25,175 Kg of narcotics which denied the transfer of US$ 19.5M to the terrorist organizations, and remained the most vigilant and active emergency unit for the assistance of the maritime community in case of any emergency call or disaster.
Presently, Pakistan has assumed the command of this Taskforce which brings responsibilities and liabilities to improve the security condition of maritime routes for trade and other legal activities. Previously, the Pakistan Navy had done an impressive job in tackling maritime issues such as human trafficking, counter-terrorism activities, seized narcotics, and saved the lives of people through emergency disaster relief. Furthermore, the Pakistan Navy has taken the prestigious step of building the Maritime Counter Terrorism Centre (MCTC) and 2nd Force Protection Battalion to train special service groups and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), such as live fire shoots houses, training of navy force in urban terrain, and Close Quarter Combat Ranges to increase the efforts of counter-terrorism activities, to protect the Karachi harbour, provide humanitarian assistance, natural disaster relief and to deal with all kind of emergency such as flood, etc.
In conclusion, The Pakistan Navy has assumed the command of Combined Task Force 150 for the 13th time due to its distinction services and the trust of its partners in the capability of the force to tackle the traditional and emerging issues of the maritime domain. This includes providing secure maritime routes, combat terrorism, human trafficking, illegal fishing, environmental issues, humanitarian assistance, set special emergency centres to tackle natural disasters, anti-smuggling efforts, protect the areas and routes which are known for piracy and illegal activities, and all other traditional and non-traditional security threats to the international trade. Even in this term of the command of CTF 150, the Commander of the Pakistan Navy Commodore Asim Sohail Malik, assured that his team has full potential to work and coordinate with coalition partners to provide safe and secure maritime routes from all kinds of threats.
—The writer is working at the Institute of strategic studies Islamabad.
