May 26, 200521 yr Pakistan admits defense role of China-built Gwadar port Special to World Tribune.com EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM Thursday, May 26, 2005 The Chinese-built port facility at Gwadar, on the Indian Ocean in western Pakistan, will be used for defense purposes, a Pakistani admiral said. Gwadar is seen as part of Beijing's 'string of pearls' strategy to secure sea routes for oil from the Middle East. Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Shahid Karimullah said at a conference on April 26 that while the port is also a commercial facility it will also be used by warships. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said last year that the port would be strictly a commercial facility and scoffed at the idea that Chinese warships would use it. The Chinese are believed to be planning to use the port as part of Beijing's "string of pearls" strategy of protecting sea lanes for oil shipments from the Middle East to China. The conference include military participants from Bahrain, China, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the UAE. The naval chief said Pakistan had ordered F-22P frigates from China as part of its growing defense needs. The admiral also said Pakistan has two Agosta 90-B submarines in its fleet and is working on a third. "Efforts made towards self-reliance in submarine construction will not restrict us to constructing Agosta class submarines only but other submarine designs offered will be taken into consideration," he said.
Create an account or sign in to comment