Admiral Naveed Ashraf has taken charge as the 23rd Chief of the Pakistan Navy at a ceremony held here on Saturday morning. At the change of command ceremony, outgoing Naval Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi handed over the command to the new Naval Chief. In his farewell address, the outgoing naval chief congratulated Admiral Naveed Ashraf for assuming command. He said the Admiral has a distinguished career, studded with notable achievements. He was confident that Admiral Naveed Ashraf will prove to be an able and worthy successor who will lead the Navy to new heights.

Amjad Khan Niazi said Pakistan Navy stands as a strong and vital arm of the country's armed forces capable of protecting our maritime frontiers. He said Pakistan believes in collaboration when it comes to maritime security. The outgoing Naval Chief said as India transitions into Bharat, we will see pronounced fundamentalism, extremism and bigotry in our neighborhood. This implies a significant war mongering and expansion centered agenda that will complicate security challenges in the future. He said we must be prepared to respond to the challenges with professionalism, preparedness and unwavering self-esteem.

New Naval Chief Naveed Ashraf got commission in the Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1989. He is a graduate of National Defence University Islamabad, US Naval War College and UK's Royal College of Defence Studies. Naveed Ashraf has vast experience of working in key command and staff positions. In recognition of his exceptional professional services and valiance, Naveed Ashraf has also been awarded with Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Basalat.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)