M A I N   N E W S

Pak army’s 10-day exercise from today
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Ferozepore, July 15
Pakistan’s armed forces would conduct military exercise from July 16 (Tuesday) as part of training programme that began following large-scale deployment of troops along the border with India. Indian intelligence agencies on the other hand are analysing Pakistan’s war games seriously.

According to the intelligence sources, the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force will take part in the 10-day exercise beginning from Tuesday. The exercises will continue till July 26, this year.

Although the venue of this exercise of the three wings of the armed forces is not specified but it is believed that the Army is likely to conduct its exercise in the Bahawalpur sector, the area across Sri Ganga Nagar and Bikaner in the Thar deserts.

While a joint exercise of the Navy and the Air Force has been planned in Baluchistan and Sindh provinces. Three air bases near the seaports have been chosen exclusively for this.

The sources further revealed that the air bases of Masroor in Sindh and Faisal & Pasni in Baluchistan would be used for joint exercise of the Navy and the Air Force. The Air Force would also use Nawabshah and Sukkur air bases of Sindh to display its air power in order to keep the morale high of the forces deployed on the border.

After operational deployment of the armed forces in response to the Indian massing of the troops on the border, the process of preparation and training of various formations seems to now culminating in the war-game.

The exercises are designed to validate the existing plans of the army and further enhance the professional acumen of senior officers, the sources added. It is believed that the President of Pakistan General Parvez Musharraf would himself monitor the 10-day military exercise beginning on Tuesday.