Terror threat: Pak moves warships away from Karachi

The move has come two months after the commando-style gun and rocket-propelled grenade attack on Mehran,that resulted in the destruction of two P3C Orion airplanes and the killing of 10 security personnel.

The navy chief ordered the immediate movement of the entire fleet after the attack on PNS Mehran in view of the all-time high security threats,which continue to loom even today,an unnamed person familiar with the matter said. However,another unnamed senior navy official said not the entire fleet but definitely quite a few warships had been moved to Ormara for security reasons. Despite the movement,Karachi remains secure since there are other naval assets in place guarding the city,he said.

A Pakistan Navy spokesperson declined to comment on the matter,saying the navy does not speak on operational details.

Senior retired navy and air force officials welcomed the move and described the navy chiefs decision as pragmatic and positive. Retired Vice Admiral Tanvir Ahmed said one of the golden rules in warfare,especially when facing a threat from an unknown enemy,is to disperse your assets in as many bases as possible. Never put all your eggs in one basket, he said. Ahmed said it would be wrong to say the navy felt threatened by terrorists. Its not a question of fear,but a matter of tactic, he said.