The Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, Commodore Brian Santarpia, met with senior leaders in Pakistan’s maritime safety and security agencies in Karachi during a two day visit on 8 and 9 December 2014.
Pakistan remains a key contributor of ships, aircraft and headquarters staff to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) operations, having joined it in 2004. The visit occurred a few days after Pakistan completed its seventh tenure of CTF-150 command, when Commodore Sajid Mahmood SI(M) Pakistani Navy handed over command to Canada on 4 December 2014.
During the visit, the CTF-150 delegation met with senior officers of the Pakistan Navy, Coast Guard, Maritime Security Agency, Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre, and Anti-Narcotics Force to enhance interoperability and cooperation between Pakistan’s maritime and security institutions and CTF-150 in countering the terrorism at sea, particularly in the North Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Following the visit, Commodore Santarpia described Pakistan as
a key partner who is dedicated to regional maritime security, as demonstrated time and again through sustained contribution to, and leadership in, Combined Maritime Forces.
Commodore Santarpia added,
I look forward to working in close collaboration with the proven and professional maritime safety and security forces of Pakistan, key partners in the denial of the use of the sea by terrorist organisations in the region.
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Press release, Image: Combined Maritime Forces