Pakistan Navy Special Force Setup to GuardGwadar Port,s Sea Lane
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy has assembled ‘Task
Force-88’ (TF-88) for the seaward security of
Gwadar port and protection of associated sea
lanes against both conventional and non-
traditional threats.
The creation of the special maritime force had
been necessitated by the operationalisation of
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is
expected to lead to a surge in maritime activity
at Gwadar — the nodal point for CPEC — and the
sea lanes. This has in turn increased the
maritime susceptibilities there.
A senior PN official said the TF-88 would
comprise ships, Fast Attack Craft, aircraft,
drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), and
surveillance assets. Additionally, marines would
be deployed at sea and around Gwadar for
security operations.
“The task force would be a force multiplier for
overall security of CPEC. The land route has
already been secured by Special Security
Division and now Gwadar, the centrepiece of
CPEC, will also be safe and secure,” Chairman
Parliamentary Committee on CPEC Senator
Mushahid Hussain said
TF-88 would be commissioned this week
“Pakistan Navy is ensuring maritime security of
CPEC and Gwadar port through the deployment
of available assets,” the navy officer said while
talking to Dawn about the new force. “We are
fully cognisant of the challenges to security of
CPEC and Gwadar port.” Challenges to
Pakistan’s maritime security have traditionally
come from India. But Chinese involvement in
Gwadar port and launch of CPEC has complica
ted the security environment. India sees Gwadar
as a foothold for China in the Arabian Sea and
as a counter-strategy to threats at Malacca.
Therefore, India is alleged to have stepped up its
activities in the broader region surrounding
Gwadar to undermine the project.
The botched attempt by an Indian submarine to
intrude into Pakistani waters when shipping
activity under CPEC began at Gwadar last month
has been pointed out by Pakistani observers as
an indicator of Indian intentions.
Similarly, it is feared that the CPEC maritime
traffic may face non-traditional threats, which
include maritime terrorism, drugs and arms
trafficking, human smuggling and piracy. The
region is already grappling with most of these
problems
Presence of extra-regional forces and their
interests, which could be threatened by the new
port, heavily factored in the consideration of
Pakistani strategists, who developed threat
perception and strategised the responses.
The complex security scenario, it is said,
increases risks for the sea traffic because of
which cost of insurance of the cargo has gone
up exponentially.
Security is undoubtedly a crucial factor for the
success of CPEC, but the Chinese government
has been very particular about it. Chinese
officials have invariably insisted in their
interactions with Pakistani interlocutors on
provision of safe and secure environment for the
corridor.
It should be recalled that the fourth Pak-China
joint naval exercise held in November, which was
aimed at promoting maritime security and
stability in the region, specifically focused on
challenges to CPEC in security domain. Navy has
also raised a Coastal Security and Harbour
Defence Force for tackling threats along the
coast and stationed a Force Protection Battalion
at Gwadar for protection of Chinese workers