Pakistan Navy Assumes Command of CTF-150 for 14th Time, Reinforces Role in Regional Maritime Security

Pakistan Navy has assumed command of the Combined Task Force-150 (CTF-150) for the 14th time, reaffirming Pakistan’s leading role in international maritime security efforts. The change of command ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Bahrain, according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the ceremony, Commodore Muhammad Yasir Tahir of Pakistan Navy formally took over command of CTF-150 from Commodore Fahad S. Al Joaid of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). The event was attended by the Ambassador of Pakistan to Bahrain, Commander Combined Maritime Forces, Commander Royal Bahrain Naval Forces, and senior representatives from various navies operating under the CMF framework.

Addressing the gathering, the incoming commander expressed confidence in his team’s readiness to shoulder the responsibility of leading one of the most critical maritime task forces in the region. Commodore Muhammad Yasir Tahir reaffirmed Pakistan Navy’s unwavering commitment to ensuring maritime security, safeguarding vital sea lines of communication (SLOCs), and countering illicit maritime activities, including trafficking and smuggling.

CTF-150 is one of the five multinational task forces operating under the Combined Maritime Forces, a 39-nation naval partnership headquartered in Bahrain. The task force is mandated to deter and disrupt non-state actors involved in the trafficking of narcotics, weapons, and other illicit goods across key maritime regions, including the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman—some of the world’s most strategically significant waterways.

Pakistan Navy has long been a core contributor to CMF operations and has commanded CTF-150 more times than any other navy, reflecting international confidence in its professionalism, operational competence, and sustained commitment to cooperative maritime security. Under previous commands, Pakistan Navy ships have conducted numerous successful counter-narcotics and interdiction operations, seizing large quantities of drugs and preventing criminal networks from exploiting regional waters.

ISPR noted that the successful anti-narcotics operations carried out by Pakistan Navy units during the RSNF’s command of CTF-150 further demonstrated the effectiveness of multinational coordination and information sharing within the CMF framework. These efforts contribute directly to regional stability, maritime safety, and the protection of global trade routes.

The assumption of command once again highlights Pakistan Navy’s growing role in international naval diplomacy, its ability to operate seamlessly with partner navies, and its continued contribution to peace and security in the wider maritime domain.