`Pakistan`s defence preparedness security-driven`

The possibility of state-to-state conflict cannot be totally eliminated, Pakistan`s second highest ranking military official has said.

Islamabad: The possibility of state-to-state conflict cannot be totally eliminated and it is the responsibility of the world community to address security concerns that could trigger such events, Pakistan`s second highest ranking military official has said.

General Khalid Shameem Wynne, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, made the remarks while speaking at a seminar organised in Karachi on Wednesday as part of the defence exhibition IDEAS - 2012. The general claimed Pakistan`s defence preparedness is "purely security-driven". Wynne further said the security scenario at the regional and global level was undergoing a major transformation that has strategic implications for Pakistan. As the regional security situation becomes more complex and uncertain, Pakistan`s defence industry would be compelled to develop a response that is proportionate to challenges that lie ahead, he told the seminar on `Security outlook 2025: Future security trends and challenges for defence industry in mounting technological response`. The IDEAS-2012 exhibition provides a platform to exhibit the latest weapons and an interactive opportunity for the armed forces to review their defence needs, he said. Former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, in her presentation, made the point that Pakistan`s geopolitical location and volatile neighbourhood placed the country at the centre of "many regional storms". Regional developments could accentuate Pakistan`s security anxieties and will have to be factored in for the evolution of the defence industry, she said. PTI