Military Technology 04/2021

96 · MT 4/2021 Interview Cadet, which marked the commencement of my career in the Pakistan Navy in 1983 – a decision which I cherish to this day, and perhaps will always do! MilTech: Now as Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan, what are the main chal- lenges ahead-for the Pakistan Navy in the 2020s? Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi: I view the global security environment as dynamic, highly volatile and in an unprecedented transition, shaped by the primacy of Great Power influence, strategic realignments, competing interests and the pursuit of technological dominance. The character of ‘state-on-state’ conflict is changing, with the preferred use of ‘indirect strategies’ through exploitation of hybrid warfare tactics. [As a result], cyberspace, info-ops and ‘proxy’ wars, employing sub-conventional means, have gained prominence and pose new challenges. Additionally, non-conventional challenges arising from illegal activities such as terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics and arms smuggling, as well as the risks posed by natural disasters, climate change – and, above all, the unprecedented scale of the ongoing pandemic – have complicated the security calculus; demanding reconfiguration of states’ security appara- tus and response options. In this complex threat matrix, the increasing use of smart technologies is placing a greater premium on the navies to constantly review their capabilities. In this backdrop, my focus is sharply towards maintaining a On 7 October 2020, the President of Pakistan, Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi, appointed Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi the Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan. His previous command appointments include commanding officer of the TARIQ-class guided missile destroyers PNS TARIQ (181) and PNS BADR (184); 18 th Destroyer Squadron com- mander; commandant of PNS BAHADUR, the largest establishment in the Pakistan Navy for conducting basic, mid-career and advanced professional courses for all trades of operations branch and asso- ciated branches; commandant of the Pakistan Navy War College (PNWC); commander Central Punjab, Lahore; and Pakistan Fleet Commander. Stefan Nitschke, Editor-in-Chief of our sister maga- zine Naval Forces spoke with Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi about the Pakistan Navy’s current capabilities and capacities, as well as its perspective as a major player in the region and beyond. MilTech: First of all, and of course of interest to our global readership, did you always want a career in the Pakistan Navy? Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi: Well, interestingly – no! How it all began was that I received my early education from a government school at my native town in the province of Sindh. The school, besides classroom teaching, placed quite a lot of emphasis on discipline and grooming. In those days, I recall my natural inclination was towards physical training, sports and extracurricular activities. One of my classmates, who was himself keen to join the Pakistan Air Force, convinced me to join the Navy. In pursuance of the same, I joined the Junior Cadet College (JCC) in Karachi as ‘N’ (Naval) The Pakistan Navy’s Path to a Well-Balanced Maritime Force Interview with Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan. (All photos provided courtesy of the Pakistan Navy) f