The Pakistan Navy has taken command of Task Force 151 for the 11th time.
According to a statement released by the Pakistan Army Public Relations Department (ISPR), the transfer of command ceremony was held at the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters in Bahrain, where Commodore Sohail Ahmed Azmi of the Pakistan Navy was appointed as the new commander of Combined Task Force -151.
Prior to this, the command had been with the Turkish Navy.
According to the Pakistan Army spokesperson, Commodore Sohail Ahmed Azmi stated that the Pakistan Navy will continue to cooperate with the naval forces of other countries to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Combined Task Force-151 ensures maritime security, prevents piracy and combats terrorism at sea.
The ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Pakistan and Turkey along with other diplomatic and military figures.
A few days ago, Pakistan’s Navy had taken a significant lead over India in Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, with further progress expected.
According to reports, the Pakistan Navy has overtaken the Indian Navy in adopting AIP technology, with Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines set to join the fleet as per the schedule.
India’s recent addition of the sixth and final submarine in the P-75 Scorpene project, along with a stealth frigate and guided missile destroyer, is still behind Pakistan’s capabilities.
Despite this, India’s navy remains without submarines equipped with modern technology, while Pakistan has already integrated three French-made Agosta-90B submarines (PNS Khalid, Saad and Hamza) into its fleet.
Earlier, the Pakistan Navy formally relinquished command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 and handed over command to Commodore Rodger Ward of the Royal New Zealand Navy at a ceremony at the Naval Support Activity, Bahrain.
The event was attended by Vice Admiral George Wikoff, Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), according to a statement issued by Pakistan Navy’s General Directorate General Public Relations.
During his tenure from July 2024 to January 2025, the Pakistan Navy played a key role in maritime security operations. Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency ships independently interdicted three narcotics dhows, which together seized approximately 10 tons of narcotics valued at over $50 million.
